JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A well-respected local pediatrician is voicing concerns over how the Florida Department of Health handled public notification after two children in Jacksonville were confirmed to have the measles.
Dr. Jeffrey Goldhagen, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine, said it is concerning that the community was not notified of the measles cases until Jan. 23. They two children sought treatment at a local hospital on Jan. 16.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Baptist Health confirms 2 pediatric measles cases in Jacksonville
“The media should have been notified, not to create panic, but to provide information and create a sense as to where we’re involved,” he said. “This was, from my perspective, professional malfeasance on the part of the health department, not our local health department; they did a wonderful job. Their hands are being tied by the state health department.”
Goldhagen said such urgent notifications are important not only for the general public to be aware but also so medical professionals can take precautions.
“I was not aware of it until essentially Friday,” Goldhagen said in an interview Monday on The Morning Show. “I then communicated with a number of my colleagues. They didn’t know about it, so there was a risk with children coming into their offices.”
News4JAX learned of the measles cases on Jan. 23 when Baptist Health confirmed they had treated two children.
According to a press release from the health system, the two children, who live in the same household, sought emergency care at Baptist Health’s main campus on Jan. 16.
It takes seven to 14 days for symptoms to develop in measles patients, so it’s unclear how long the disease has been in the area.
Goldhagen pointed out that there is currently a significant outbreak in South Carolina, and Jacksonville is along the I-95 corridor. There have also been a couple of other cases locally in the past couple of months.
During his interview on The Morning Show, Goldhagen explained how measles is spread, along with the warning signs, and the importance of getting vaccinated.
Goldhagen said he was told the two children were not vaccinated.
“This is a public health emergency. It’s urgent. People need to talk to their doctors, they need to get vaccinated,” he said.
Press play below to watch the full interview