Alabama public health officials stressing importance of vaccinations


              In this Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015 photo, a pediatrician holds a dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine at his practice in Northridge, Calif. Vaccinations can cause minor side effects including redness at the injection site and sometimes mild fever, but medical experts say serious complications are rare and much less dangerous than the diseases that vaccines prevent. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
In this Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015 photo, a pediatrician holds a dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine at his practice in Northridge, Calif. Vaccinations can cause minor side effects including redness at the injection site and sometimes mild fever, but medical experts say serious complications are rare and much less dangerous than the diseases that vaccines prevent. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama public health officials are stressing the importance of vaccinations after five people who may have been exposed to measles traveled to Alabama.

Department of Public Health officials said in a statement Tuesday that they've located four people who may have been exposed to the highly contagious respiratory virus at an immigration and customs enforcement center in Arizona. The statement says officials have determined the people don't have symptoms but will be vaccinated and monitored for 42 days.

Department officials say they're looking for a fifth person who may have been exposed.

Public health officials say at least 95 percent of people in a community need to be vaccinated for measles to protect children who are too young to be vaccinated, people with medical conditions that prevent vaccination and others.

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