Measles infections in several states have school and health officials concerned as fears grow of possible widespread outbreaks. The potentially fatal disease had been declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000. Sadly, vaccine skeptics, fed by misinformation by conspiracy theorists, have caused vaccination rates to decline, causing complacency and raising risks. Sadly, an unvaccinated school-aged child from Texas died as a result of contracting the highly contagious respiratory disease.
In addition, according to this year’s data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 82% of the 164 reported measles cases are in people under the age of 20.
Schools play a vital role in vaccination education and outbreak prevention, and due to an outbreak in New Mexico, the state’s department of health issued guidance for schools and child care programs regarding measles prevention and response. The guidance includes a template for school-to-parent communications about confirmed measles cases. and also recommends the following:
-Keeping a list of unvaccinated students and staff, including those who have waivers or exemptions for medical or religious reasons. This group may need to be excluded from school activities if there is a known case.
-Communicating with parents about CDC’s measles vaccine recommendations.
-Promoting frequent handwashing and coughing etiquette.
-Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.
Source: K-12 Dive