As you may be aware, on January 25, Governor Inslee declared a public health state of emergency after reports of 31 confirmed cases of measles were identified in the state. Most of the confirmed cases are in Clark County and there is one confirmed case in King County. We currently do not have any cases of measles in Lake Washington School District.
This unusual occurrence of measles may generate some concern or questions. To help keep you informed, district processes and state law for vaccinations is outlined below:
In order to attend school, Washington State Law requires kindergarten students to receive 5 required immunizations:
We currently do not have any cases of measles in Lake Washington School District. We are urging families to monitor their children for signs of measles. If you believe your child may have measles, please call their health care provider — do not go in. If you must take your child to the Emergency Room, please call ahead to let them know you are coming and that you suspect measles. If your child has not been fully immunized with the MMR vaccine, please talk with your health care provider about getting the immunization. You can also contact your school nurse for more information and resources.
Measles is extremely contagious, and can be serious, especially for young children. If your child has measles, please keep them home.
The best protection against measles is to get vaccinated. Make sure to protect yourself and your children with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Measles Symptoms
Measles starts with:
After a few days, a rash begins, which usually starts on the face and can spread over the entire body. Measles usually lasts 7 to 10 days.
In some people, especially people who are have chronic medical problems, are pregnant, or are malnourished, measles also leads to serious problems such as pneumonia, brain damage, blindness, deafness, and death.
Please call your medical provider or building nurse if you have questions regarding measles.