Health officials warn of possible measles exposure at McCandless Target
A grim milestone has been reached as Pennsylvania has recorded more than 1,000 confirmed measles cases, and now the health department has confirmed the first measles case in Allegheny County after an unvaccinated minor who lives in the county tested positive for measles.
The health department said people who visited the Target at the Pine Creek Shopping Center on McKnight Road on Thursday, Oct. 1, between 3:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. may have been exposed. Anyone who is unvaccinated and believes they were exposed at the Target should call a health care facility ahead of time before they go, the health department said.
"Honestly, when I read it, I got nervous, and I looked to see which Target it was," said Target customer Lisa Schneider. "I am going to call our doctors just to make sure we're good, and there's not a second round of vaccinations we should be getting or something like that."
"Just being in there for a moment, there is a two-hour window around that moment in which measles hangs in the air," according to Allegheny County Medical Director Jillian Irwin.
The fact that the virus lingers makes measles highly contagious. Irwin said they were prepared for this first confirmed measles case in Allegheny County.
"My perspective, I'm thinking, 'Well, here we go; it's here,'" said Irwin.
The pediatric measles patient is not in school, and the exposure is limited to two visits to the pediatrician and the Target location.
If you do get it, you'll know seven to 21 days after exposure with cold-like symptoms, including a cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and most importantly, a measles rash.
"Yeah, it'll probably spread," said Target customer Rick Fera. "Good idea to get vaccinated. I mean, it's proven."
The patient's family is vaccinated, and it's an urgent reminder that you should get vaccinated, too.
"So that any small little hole in our firewall does not become a giant blaze," said Irwin.
Anyone without health insurance can get the MMR vaccine at the health department's immunization clinic, located at 425 First Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh.
