Guidance from the Public Health Department
To date there are no confirmed cases of measles in Yuba County.
Measles Facts:
- Measles is highly contagious.
- Two shots of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine will prevent measles 97% of the time. In the rare case that a vaccinated person still gets measles, their illness will be much less severe. The measles vaccine is safe and effective.
- All students in California are required to be vaccinated for measles unless they have a documented medical reason they cannot be vaccinated. Families can contact their health care provider or a local pharmacy to get vaccinated. Please note that most pharmacies do not vaccinate younger children.
- Schools are required to immediately report to the Yuba County Public Health Department any student of staff who is suspected or confirmed to have measles.
School Attendance
- Any student or staff who believes they have measles symptoms should stay home and away from other people and contact their health care provider or urgent care by telephone to make arrangements to avoid exposing others to the virus.
- Keeping children in school is a priority, but measles is a serious disease.
- Effective immediately, the following school exclusions are in effect until further notice:
- Students with any fever illness, including febrile rash illness, will be excluded from school following your school’s routine and customary sick policies.
- Students with confirmed measles illness or suspected measles illness with a rash, regardless of vaccination status, will not be allowed to go to school through day 4 after the rash started. Persons with measles are infectious and able to spread measles from 4 days before through 4 days after rash onset.
- Unvaccinated or under-vaccinated students who have been exposed to a known measles case will not be allowed to go to school during the time period when they could become sick, from day 7 after the first exposure through day 21 after the last exposure, unless the student is found to be Measles-IgG positive (requires a blood draw to confirm).
- Yuba County Public Health Department should be consulted about high risk students or staff who are immunocompromised or pregnant who have been exposed to measles to assess the situation and determine whether exclusion from school and/or post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are indicated.
- Students (and staff) excluded from school after a measles exposure should stay at home to avoid exposing others in the community.
- Unvaccinated children who receive a measles shot within 72 hours of exposure may be allowed back to school at the discretion of YCPHD.
- Further information regarding measles can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Measles page at: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html or the California Department of Public Health page at: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/measles.aspx
