A measles outbreak was reported in California’s Nevada county after an unvaccinated student attended the elementary school infected before spring break.
Yuba River Charter School in Nevada County at the northeast of Sacramento California closed on Tuesday after officials issued an order to prevent an outbreak in the community, known for its lowest vaccination rates.
The measles infections resulted in 146,000 death across the globe last year, and it’s known for being highly contagious. The disease can be prevented by the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR). The MMR vaccine will be a requirement for all California students, thanks to a vaccine law passed last year.
The infected child attended Yuba River Charter School after returning home from a trip overseas, causing the school to remain closed to all students without the measles vaccine until April 8th.
Students who have been vaccinated will be allowed to attend the school starting March 30th. School officials will be in charge of checking vaccine records before the students enter the precinct.
According to CBS news, the school records show that 225 students were at the school the day of the measles exposure. Of those 225 students, 124 don’t have the MMR vaccine.
Parents and citizens of the county have expressed their concerns on vaccines. Many believe that the injections are more a harm that a prevention. Many parents reject the MMR vaccine because they believe it’s directly linked to the cause of autism.
Nevada County Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced its concern on the measles matter
“As the state’s public health officer, it’s concerning to receive a report of a child with measles because it’s a disease that can easily be prevented. Immunization is the best way to protect against measles, two doses of the MMR vaccine are approximately 97 percent effective at preventing disease in exposed persons” Said Dr. Karen Smith from the CDPH in the department’s announcement.
Thanks to the vaccine law passed last year in the state legislature, there will no longer be any justification for not applying vaccine to child’s, religious and personal reasons will not be an excuse for child’s immunization under California’s public and private schools.
The strict vaccine law was emitted after a major measles outbreak started at Anaheim’s Disneyland in December 2015 with 131 cases.
Source: CBS