CDA Essentials 2019 • Volume 6 • Issue 4

18 | 2019 | Issue 4 N ews and E vents Up to four days before these symptoms appear, an infected person will feel normal. But at this time, the individual is highly infectious and remains infectious for up to four additional days after symptoms appear. Other signs and symptoms of measles include a non-itchy macular-papular skin rash, fever, cold-like symptoms, and sensitivity to light. ManagingMeasles in the Dental Office • If a patient may have active measles or may be incubating the disease, it is appropriate to reschedule their visit to your office. • Patients who are showing clinical signs of measles should be advised to stay home and contact their primary care physician. • If a confirmed infectious patient has been in your office, contact your local public health department as well as other patients who may have been exposed. Talking to Patients About Measles and Vaccinations • Educate your patients about measles and the importance of vaccination. Posters and other immunization and vaccine awareness materials can be downloaded at canada.ca/vaccines . • Help parents and caregivers understand that measles is more than just a rash. It can be very harmful to a child’s health. • Educate yourself about measles and be prepared to talk to patients about vaccine efficacy and safety to help them make informed choices. a Educate yourself about measles and be prepared to talk to patients about vaccine efficacy and safety to help them make informed choices. ➜ Resources The Government of Canada weekly Measles and Rubella Reports . Available at: canada.ca/en/public- health/services/diseases/measles/ surveillance-measles/measles-rubella- weekly-monitoring-reports.html Tunis MC, Salvadori MI, Dubey V, Baclic O on behalf of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Updated NACI recommendations for measles post-exposure. Can Commun Dis Rep 2018;44(9):226-30. Gordon SC, MacDonald NE; OSAP, The Safest Dental Visit. Managing measles in dental practice: A forgotten foe makes a comeback. J Am Dent Assoc 2015 Jul;146(7):558-60.