27/3/2018

 

HSE ADVICE FOR THIRD LEVEL STUDENTS AND STAFF AGED UNDER 40

 

Protect yourself with MMR

• Check if you have had measles infection or two doses of MMR.
• If not, visit your GP to get immunised as soon as possible.
• If you do not have a medical record of measles or MMR vaccination it is not harmful to have extra doses to be on the safe side.
• Those sitting exams may wish to prioritise this due to the potential disruption to their exams that measles infection could cause.
• MMR is especially important in those who are planning to travel abroad either for holidays, conferences, courses, Erasmus programmes, etc. due to large outbreaks across Europe and more widely.

 

If you think you have measles (ill with rash, fever, cough, temperature)

• Stay at home from work/college.
• Call the Department of Public Health at 061 – 483338 to advise that you think that you may have measles.
• Telephone your GP so that they can see you at a time/place when no one else is there (to avoid infecting others).
• Your GP may organise a test to confirm the diagnosis – this is usually done by using a small swab that takes a sample of the oral fluid from the mouth.
• Patients with symptoms of measles should avoid presenting to the emergency department where possible. If it is necessary to seek urgent care, it is important to inform the ambulance service or emergency department that you have symptoms consistent with measles beforehand so that the appropriate precautions can be taken. Similarly, if you have been in contact with a confirmed case of measles and are seeking medical attention, please inform the healthcare provider before attending.