Where to get a measles shot, and how to know if you need one

Residents in 4 Central Pa. counties may have have been exposed

• By Lucy Albright/LNP | LancasterOnline

Some Central Pennsylvania residents may be wondering whether they need the measles vaccine, and where to get it, since the state Department of Health announced Thursday that a visitor to four counties in the region between Aug. 5 and 10 may have exposed residents to contagious measles.

Exposure locations were recorded throughout Pennsylvania. Locations, dates and times of other exposures include:

• Midway Mennonite Reception Center in Warwick Township, Lancaster County, on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9.

• Sapp Bros. Travel Center, 15196 Clearfield Shawville Highway, Lawrence Township, Clearfield County, on Aug. 5 between 1 and 3 p.m.

• Farmhouse Restaurant at the Barn Resort, 75 Cunningham Road, Cumberland Township, Adams County, on Aug. 7 between 5 and 8:30 p.m.

• Hickory Falls Entertainment Center, 110 Hickory Lane, Penn Township, York County, on Aug. 7, between 7 and 10 p.m.

• Garber Mennonite Fellowship, 6082 Old Hanover Road, Heidelberg Township, Adams County, on Aug. 10, between 8:30 a.m. and two hours after the conclusion of services.

Where to get the measles vaccine

For people who need measles vaccines, the shot is available at a number of pharmacies. On Friday, we looked up information for several retail chains but also called a handful of pharmacists throughout the county for a survey of where vaccines were available. Here’s what we found for Lancaster County and beyond.

CVS: CVS has an online scheduling tool on its website (CVS.com) and app, through which patients can search for “MMR Vaccine Near Me” by ZIP code to schedule an appointment. However, to be sure the vaccine will be available, customers may want to call ahead to confirm. Pharmacy technician Maverick Caldwell at the CVS Pharmacy at 440 N. Reading Road in Ephrata Township said they can administer the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) to people as young as 3 and as old as 105. The pharmacy also offers the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella — or chickenpox — vaccine (MMRV) to children ages 3 and up. This version of the vaccine is authorized only for kids who are 12 months through 12 years old, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The MMR shot was currently in stock at the store as of Friday, and Caldwell believes that the MMRV was in stock as well. Walk-ins are now accepted, but appointments will be required starting in September when the pharmacy is at its busiest, Caldwell said.

Costco: Appointments can be made under the pharmacy tab at Costco.com and searching by ZIP code, though, again, customers may want to call to confirm availability of the vaccine on any given day. Costco Pharmacy in Lancaster city also offers MMR vaccines, said pharmacist Matt Ebersole, but not MMRV. The 1875 Hempstead Road pharmacy administers the vaccine to people 18 and older, he said, and accepts walk-ins.

Weis: Appointments can be made by going to WeisMarkets.com and clicking on the pharmacy section, or by phone to your local pharmacy. Weis Pharmacy at 1700a Fruitville Pike in Lancaster city administers MMR but not MMRV vaccines, and it will administer MMR shots to people 19 and older, said pharmacy manager Marjo Campbell. Walk-in vaccinations are accepted, too, though Campbell said that those interested may want to call ahead (the location’s number is 717-397-8161) to let the pharmacy know they’re coming.

What about the pharmacies that aren’t chains?

While the independent Ephrata Pharmacy and Smithgall’s Pharmacy in Lancaster don’t offer measles vaccines — and Smithgall’s doesn’t offer any vaccines due to staffing limitations — Lititz Apothecary does. While the 100 E. Main St. pharmacy in Lititz Borough does not keep the MMR vaccine in stock due to refrigeration requirements, it can place an order for next-day delivery if this vaccine is needed, a pharmacist who declined to give his name said Friday — same for the MMRV shot. People who want a measles vaccine can call the store at 717-626-2222, the pharmacist said.

Do I need a measles booster?

Vaccinated adults generally do not need additional measles shots, but there are exceptions.

Adults born before 1957 are presumed immune to measles, since they likely caught it as children — though if they work in health care, they should consider getting vaccinated if they don’t have laboratory evidence of immunity or of the disease, according to the CDC.

For adults born after 1957, one dose is enough to presume immunity, the CDC says. But adults who will be in high-risk settings should make sure they have had two doses separated by at least 28 days, according to the CDC. These include: students at post-high school education institutions, health care workers, international travelers and those whom public health authorities determine are at increased risk during a measles outbreak. People who are immunocompromised and those who have close contact with them, should also receive two doses, according to the CDC. The vaccine schedule for MMR and MMRV now consists of two doses, according to the CDC.

Some people vaccinated from 1963 through 1967 may have received an inactivated vaccine — a vaccine that was created by killing the virus — which was not effective. Those who were vaccinated pre-1968 and received the inactivated vaccine, or are unsure which type they received, should get revaccinated with at least one dose of a live attenuated measles vaccine — meaning a vaccine containing a weakened form of the live virus, according to the CDC.

People who have been exposed to measles and don’t know their vaccination status can receive a dose of the vaccine to help protect them, something that’s usually recommended to be done within 72 hours, but this is still a good idea even if more time has passed, Dr. Fahmida McGann, infectious disease physician at Penn State Health Lime Spring Outpatient Center, said on Thursday. “If they haven’t had two doses, or they don’t know if they’ve had two doses … they should go get the vaccine if they’ve been exposed,” McGann said.

If you’re unsure of your vaccination status or immunity, check with your health care provider.