July 2019
BCBSIL is Helping People Locate MMR Vaccinations in Chicago
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) has collaborated with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to create a Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine finder to help people in the Chicagoland area find a location to get vaccinated. The MMR vaccine finder is an interactive map that includes a number of retail-based clinics and state-run facilities, which provide vaccines free to uninsured patients.
Although Chicago has one of the highest MMR vaccination rates in the nation,1 residents are encouraged to review their immunization records or contact their health care providers to see if they need to be vaccinated, especially if they plan to travel to an area in the U.S. or internationally experiencing measles outbreaks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of June 20, 2019, there have been 1077 cases of the measles reported in the U.S.2 This is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1992 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000.2
In addition to collaborating on the vaccine finder, we have a 24-year partnership with the CDPH, as well as our partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health, which has allowed BCBSIL to have four Care Vans in service that reach communities across Illinois. In 2017, our Care Vans provided more than 10,000 immunizations in Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, Peoria, Madison County and East St. Louis. Check the Chicago Care Van schedule for upcoming locations, or text CAREVAN to 33633 or call 311.
The CDC recommends two doses of MMR vaccine routinely for children, starting with the first dose at age 12 through 15 months (6 months if traveling internationally) and the second dose at age 4 through 6 years before school entry. Children can receive the second dose earlier as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose. During outbreaks, people in the following categories who do not have evidence of immunity should receive MMR vaccination:3
- Students at post-high school educational institutions
- International travelers
- Health care professionals
- Women of childbearing age who are not pregnant
- People who care for or are around immunocompromised people
- People living with HIV without evidence of severe immunosuppression
1 City of Chicago, Department of Public Health Launches New Measles Vaccine Finder, May 30, 2019. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/health_protection_and_response/news/2019/may/department-of-public-health-launches-new-measles-vaccine-finder.html
2 CDC, Measles Cases and Outbreaks, June 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
3 CDC, Routine Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination, March 28, 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/hcp/recommendations.html
The above material is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other health care provider. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the appropriate course of treatment.