The following is from our August 27, 2018 Facebook Post:
🚨NEWS ALERT🚨
We have received tons of phone calls and messages from parents concerned about the reporting of the confirmed measles case at Plano West Senior High. Don’t worry! We have been in contact with state & local health departments and since we are firm believers in FACTS OVER FEAR, we have your FACT-BASED update here:
👉 There is one confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated student from Plano West Senior High.
👉 This student attended school August 14-16 during the contagious period of the illness.
👉 Students with all types of exemptions (medical, religious, & conscientious) will be excluded from school through September 6th.
👉 Exempted students were notified via automated call that they were not to return to school. Last we heard, there is currently no plan in place for these students to continue their classwork from home.
👉 The number of students and faculty excused from school accounts for approximately 1.8% – 3.7% of the total student population of the school.
👉 Despite what may be implied, if an exempted student decides to receive the MMR vaccine, they will still be excused from school through September 6th.
👉 All students, regardless of vaccination status, are encouraged to monitor themselves for measles symptoms and to stay home if experiencing the following symptoms: runny nose, high fever, cough, red watery eyes. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Measles typically begins with a mild to moderate fever, often accompanied by a persistent cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis) and sore throat. This relatively mild illness may last two or three days.”
The measles rash will show itself 3-5 days after symptoms begin.
Symptoms will start to show 7-14 days after exposure.
You are considered contagious until 4 days after the rash appears.
👉 Measles virus is spread through droplets in the air and can live on surfaces for up to two hours. The most effective ways to prevent transmission are to cover coughs and sneezes and practice frequent hand washing.
👉 The most common complications of measles are diarrhea (8% of cases) and ear infections (7% of cases).
👉 For more information on symptoms and side effects of measles viral infection, please see:
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/signs-symptoms.html
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/faqs.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/meas.html
STAY TUNED, we will be bringing you FACTUAL updates as we receive them!