SPOKANE, Wash. — Some families in measles-outbreak areas are trying to eliminate their potential exposure to measles.
One mom in Southwest Washington posted about taking advantage of online grocery shopping during the outbreak in her area. She says it's just one way to help protect her baby.
Robby and Dianna Plasencia live in Battle Ground, Washington. Their infant daughter, Ellie, is still not quite old enough to get her measles vaccination yet.
So as first time parents, they're taking what ever steps necessary to protect Ellie from getting the virus.
They learned there were cases of measles near their home a few weeks ago.
"We've kind of gone back and forth in terms of our level of fear just because reading the initial out break list of location were some places that we frequent, or that I was thinking about going to," Dianna said. "So I started thinking has my daughter been exposed? She's only five months old."
One of those places include trips to the grocery store.
"I actually enjoy grocery shopping, and my baby is quite happy and pleasant," Dianna said.
They didn't want to take any risks with exposing their daughter to the virus. But they still needed to make those trip to the grocery store.
So, Dianna decided to take advantage of online grocery shopping.
"Now with it being winter, and flu season and now measles, it just seemed like a good option," Dianna said. "So for about three weeks now, I've done my meal planning, shopping online and then just picked it up at a time that was convenient for me."
So, instead of walking down the grocery aisle, Diana would pick up her online grocery orders curbside at Fred Meyer or Target.
"Hearing about this outbreak, I just thought this is a perfect time to try it for the convenience factor, but also because it would be one less place where we're putting our daughter at risk," Dianna said.
We found multiple marketing reports indicating online grocery shopping is increasingly becoming a more preferred method of shopping.
We weren't able to confirm if this even more of a trend during flu and cold season. But for Dianna and her family, it's how they'll be shopping until the coast is clear.
She says when Ellie is old enough they do plan on getting her vaccinated against measles.