Philadelphia Battles Measles Outbreak: Free Vaccines Now Available

Philadelphia measles outbreak free measles vaccine free MMR vaccine

By E.Baloyo , Parent Herald Jan 16, 12:56 am

Photo: (Photo : DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)

A group of doctors in Philadelphia is offering a free MMR vaccine for kids and the elderly amidst the rising cases of measles in the state.

There has been a reported imported case since December 2023 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Dotors Responds to the Philadelphia Measles Outbreak With Free MMR Vaccine

Due to the rising cases of measles in Philadelphia, a group of doctors, The Black Doctors Consortium, is conducting an initiative to vaccinate both kids and the elderly against measles.

The Black Doctors Consortium will be giving away a free MMR vaccine in their pop-up clinic in northern Philadelphia to help curb the threat of an ongoing uptick of measles cases.

The group of doctors stated that this would be free of charge. Additionally, they will also test patients to see if they have been exposed to measles and provide testing if you are not sure that you are protected against it.

Aside from the MMR vaccine, they are also giving away COVID-19 and flu vaccines, which are going to be distributed at the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity. No identification is required, and there will be no out-of-pocket cost, the group said.

Aside from that, the city health department of Philadelphia is also conducting its own free vaccinations that are available to all residents.

However, people who want to avail themselves of the free vaccination need to provide either an ID or a piece of mail with an address to qualify as proof of residency.

For children in Philadelphia, the opportunity to get vaccinated is widely accessible at any city health center.

Appointments can be arranged by contacting the city's call center at (215) 685-2933, facilitating a streamlined process for families to ensure their children's health and well-being.

Adding to the city's health initiatives, Philadelphia is currently hosting walk-in MMR vaccine clinics at three designated city health centers.

This service is a part of the city's response to the measles outbreak and is available to all Philadelphia residents.

The clinics operate on a walk-in basis from Monday through Thursday, with two sessions daily: the first from 10 a.m. to noon, and the second from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. These clinics are located at:

Health Center 3, 555 S. 43rd St.
Health Center 4, 4400 Haverford Ave.
Health Center 5, 1900 N. 20th St.

During these hours, residents can receive the MMR vaccine without an appointment. Again, the city emphasizes the ease of access to these services, highlighting that there is no copay, no fee, and no ID required, although presenting a piece of mail with an address is recommended.

Measles Outbreak in Philadelphia

The measle outbreak in Philly began during December 2023, it was declared an imported case after the family travelled overseas.

The child was then confined Children's Hospital of Philadelphia then spread it to another parent and child at the hospital who were hospitalized for different reason.

After it was confirmed that they were infected, the mother was offered medication to treat measles but refused. She was then given quarantine instructions after being exposed.

However, it was reported that the mother sent her child to the daycare for two days and infected other people as a result.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles can be highly contagious. It is stated that a person carrying the virus can infect up to 10 people around them, especially if they are unvaccinated against measles and not wearing a mask.

Measles can appear not so serious, one obvious manifestation of it is rashes, however, they could end up being more severe such as pneumonia, brain swelling, and viral sepsis.

Despita MMR vaccine becoming effective in protecting human against the disease, approximately three to four million Americans still gets infected by measles and around 400 to 500 people die from it every year.