While mumps may have once been a typical childhood illness, it can be quite severe in adults. Deafness, inflammation of reproductive organs, or even brain infection are all a part of the risk.
Which is why we all need to pay attention to the current mumps outbreak that’s spreading all over the country. There are steps we can take to protect ourselves. So be informed, then take action.
Mumps hasn’t been a problem in years, thanks to the vaccine. While not all vaccines are great (like the flu vaccine, which isn’t very effective even for strong, healthy adults) most of the older vaccines (measles, mumps, polio) work well. But with pockets of people skipping all vaccines, works mumps has snuck back in.
Nothing works 100%. For the mumps vaccine, it’s about 88% effective. It can be influenced by your immune system the day you got the vaccine, to your immune system now. So many of the people getting sick in the current outbreak are the adults who got the vaccine, didn’t receive complete immunity, and are at risk from the people who opted not to vaccinate.
Symptoms can take almost a month to incubate, and the illness can last a couple of days to over a week. It starts with typical flu like symptoms (fatigue, aches, fever) and progresses to swelling (the literal mumps).
Unlike the flu, mumps isn’t airborne. It’s spread by saliva and mucus during close contact. You can help prevent illness by being careful who you get close with (even a hug) and always washing your hands thoroughly.
Since it’s still flu season, you should already be of a mind to stop and rest when you start to feel ill to help encourage a quick recovery. In addition to rest, eating well, and even supplementing with immune support like colloidal silver might help. Anything you can do to help keep yourself healthy is worth it, since mumps is caused by a virus and in everything but severe cases you’re on your own to rest and get over it.
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