Fuckin' MEASLES!

Spent the day at the paper today. It was exhausting and torture, as usual.

When I got back to my office, the following message was in my inbox:

All employees should be aware that earlier today one of our employees at the [paper's] production department’s inserting facility (Mailroom) has been diagnosed with a case of measles, which is a highly contagious disease.

This employee was in the building today between the hours of 7:30am and 1:00pm, when he visited the Medical Dept to check out symptoms. The information that we currently have is that the employee entered the building and reported to the mailroom where he remained until he walked down to the medical dept at 1:00. The employee was taken to a local medical clinic where he was tested and diagnosed. The Globe was notified at approximately 4pm.

Measles is an airborne virus that remains infectious for up to 2 hours. The recommendation is for those exposed and born after 1957 consider getting the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine within 72 hours of exposure.

If you choose to be treated, please go to the most convenient place: the [paper's] medical department, your local clinic or your primary care provider.

The medical department is open and will have the vaccine available Friday at 9pm.

Please call the medical department at 617-xxx-xxxx with any questions or for further information.

The following is the link to the CDC’s site about measles. http://www.cdc.gov/nip/diseases/measles/default.htm

I just called them; the nurse from the CDC is already there with the vaccines, so I'm on my way over. But Jesus Christ, measles?! I had chicken pox when I was 23, and it was three weeks of hell. And I've been having enough itching problems of late.

So now you've been warned; measles is going around Boston.