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Measles Information
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The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has reported outbreaks of measles in several areas of Texas. As a precaution, we are sharing this information with you due to the highly contagious nature of this disease.
For more information on measles, please visit the DSHS website.
If a student in your child's school develops measles, all students who are not in compliance with the MMR requirements, even if they have a medical or religious exemption, are recommended to receive a dose of the MMR vaccine. If they receive it within 72 hours after their initial exposure to the person with measles, they may remain in school. Otherwise, they must be excluded from school through 21 days after their most recent exposure, per Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Rule 97.7.
FAQs
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What is measles?
Measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious acute viral respiratory illness. It is characterized by early symptoms that include fever (as high as 105°F), malaise, cough, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, and red watery eyes. Koplik spots - small, white lesions that appear on the inner lining of the cheeks- followed by a reddish or brownish rash. The rash usually appears about 14 days after a person is exposed, however, the incubation ranges from 7 - 21 days (average 10-12 days). The rash characteristically spreads from the head to the trunk to the lower extremities. Patients are considered to be contagious from 4 days before to 4 days after the rash appears. Please note that immunocompromised patients may not develop the rash.
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How is it transmitted?
Measles is one of the most contagious of all infectious diseases, infecting 9 out of 10 susceptible persons with close contact to a case. It is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread. It can remain infectious on surfaces and in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left an area.
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How can I protect myself and my child?
Receive the MMR Vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles.
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What are the risks of non-vaccination?
Contracting measles.
Measles Symptoms Include:
- fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes;
- Small, bluish-white spots inside the mouth (Koplik spots);
- Rash that starts at the hairline and spreads downward;
Possible complications include: diarrhea, pneumonia, ear infections, brain inflammation, convulsions, deafness, intellectual disability, or death.
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Where can I find more information about measles and the current epidemic?
For more information on measles, please visit the DSHS website.
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How quickly does the vaccine become effective?
For the measles vaccine to work, the body needs time to produce protective antibodies in response to the vaccine. Detectable antibodies generally appear within just a few days after vaccination. People are usually fully protected after about 2 or 3 weeks.
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If a member of my family starts to show symptoms, what are our recommended next steps?
Have the symptomatic person isolate and reach out to your healthcare provider.
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Where is Bastrop ISD getting its information on the measles outbreak?
Bastrop ISD follows guidance from the TX Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
