SAVANNAH, Ga. – As measles cases surge just over the state line in South Carolina, healthcare professionals are urging parents to remain vigilant.

Our team spoke with a Savannah-based pediatrician to understand why measles spreads so rapidly and the critical role vaccinations play in safeguarding children, especially during the bustling holiday travel period.

“Imagine you’re in a room with a hundred people,” explained Dr. Ashley Cheek, a pediatrician at Memorial Health. “Now, if we narrow it down to a smaller room with ten people, nine out of ten who lack immunity against measles will contract the virus.”

Although Dr. Cheek reports no current cases in the Savannah area, there is growing concern among medical professionals about decreasing vaccination rates across the country. South Carolina’s recent rise in measles cases and Canada’s loss of its measles elimination status have heightened worries about potential outbreaks.

“The first dose of the measles vaccine is administered between 12 and 15 months of age,” Dr. Cheek noted. “This initial shot is 95% effective. The second dose, given at four years old, boosts effectiveness to 99%.”

The Centers for Disease Control has reported 10 measles cases in Georgia this year.

“Measles is a very devastating disease,” Cheek said. “It starts with a fever and then a rash. There’s runny nose, cough, etcetera. But the sequela [the consequence of a previous disease or injury] of that is what can be very devastating. And some people die from measles. People get very sick. They end up in the hospital, they end up in the ICU, and you can have brain complications from measles.”

Doctors said staying up to date on vaccinations is the best way to protect children, especially as families travel and kids prepare to return to school after the holidays. Parents who notice symptoms like fever and rash should contact their pediatrician right away. She said vaccinations helps protect not just individual children, but the entire community.

“Everyone’s going to see loved ones and everyone’s going to different areas,” Cheek said. “And so there are areas where the vaccination rates are low and so if your children are protected against measles, and you yourself are protected against measles, you’re less susceptible to obtaining the virus.”