Caillin Heron
That lead to a high fever, aches, pains and a severely swollen face. A few days later, the second army lieutenant and recent UF criminology graduate was diagnosed with the mumps.
As of Tuesday afternoon, University of Florida spokesperson Steve Orlando confirmed there are 24 cases of the mumps on campus. All 24 students were vaccinated.
Herron said it felt like a really bad flu and the worst face pain she'd ever experienced.
"At one point I was sleeping sitting up," said Herron.
She says her doctor prescribed steroids and antibiotics and after about eleven days of the illness, she finally started to feel better.
Herron believes her case of the mumps wasn't as bad as it could have been because she is vaccinated. University of Florida students are required to receive the MMR vaccine before they can attend school.
Now, Herron is encouraging others to get a third MMR vaccine. The CDC recommends getting the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.
According to the CDC, two doses of MMR vaccine are 88% effective at preventing mumps. Mumps outbreaks can still occur in highly vaccinated U.S. communities, particularly in settings where people have close, prolonged contact, such as universities and close-knit communities. During an outbreak, public health authorities may recommend an additional dose of MMR for people who belong to groups at increased risk for mumps. An additional dose can help improve protection against mumps disease and related complications.
A Florida Department of Health spokesperson said it is important to understand the majority of outbreaks in the U.S. are identified on college and university campus, meaning these cases are "not totally unexpected." He said most cases go undiagnosed due to a lack of testing and reporting.
Florida has had 37 reported cases of mumps in 2019. Click here to search for cases.
Reader Comments
I swear, if I attended UF again, I would make up lies about what my health history was.
And despite the failure of her Mumps vaccineS! she is allowing herself to be used as a shill to promote MORE vaccines? Typical dumbed down AmeriKant populace.
And at 'My Old School,' no less!
R.C.
*Great song. [Link] (Note: The link shows a picture of their first album, this song was later.
RC
RIP.
R.C.
Hmmm. Ever get the feeling your having your plonker pulled?
But students also have the energy and the heroic looks to sing loudly, to march with force and to be adored by the media. We send our kids off to war because they carry all the strength of powerful bodies and locomotive minds! (Even earnest in their scoundrel qualities! You can read young people like comic books. Even the sneakiest snakes among them have barely the guile of a scheming pet dog eyeing that piece of pizza on the table.)
It's a paradox! The least capable of grasping a situation are also the ones with the energy to encounter it.
I think it's to keep the lessons fresh and interesting. Mistakes and catastrophes made in full, honest collision. Like god intended!
The Book of Life would be boring as hell if old farts were allowed to be the principle actors. -So instead they insinuate and manipulate from the outskirts. No wonder Old = Evil in all the fables.
What a world! If you can grow up to be a Gandalf, you win. The losers either end up bitter and useless or evil and cynical.