HEBER, Utah — The Wasatch County Health Department confirmed five cases of measles at Wasatch High School, initially discovered through wastewater monitoring.
“Two of those cases were vaccinated individuals and the other three were unvaccinated,” said Lana North with the Wasatch County Health Department.
When resident Andrew Allen found out, he wanted to be prepared.
“I called my mom immediately. I asked her if I had been vaccinated. As a child, I was born before 67,” he said. "The vaccination wasn't as effective back then. So I wanted to make sure that I was vaccinated, and good to go.”
The health department said people may have been exposed at school on Nov. 14, 17 and 18, and possibly at a school play on the 15th.
With school resuming on Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving break, the health department has some recommendations.
“If you're unvaccinated, just don't go to school for the incubation period, which is 21 days, mostly because we don't want you to get sick and we don't want it to get spread further if you've been exposed,” North said.
While students who are vaccinated are more protected, the health department is urging everyone to be cautious.
“There's been a couple of those breakthrough cases, you'll find that there's still that 3 percent. You'll find that when there's kind of a high viral load of something like measles happening,” North said.
Measles can linger in the air for up to two hours, which makes it highly contagious.
“This isn't something that we're trying to cause any major panic over, but it is something that's contagious enough and no fun to have,” North said. "It could be deathly for especially little kids. So, we just don't want to see that happen.”
Heading into the holiday season, it’s important to remember those who are more vulnerable.
“If you're sick, stay home, don't just sit here coughing and you've got rashes and you've got all these things going on. Probably don't go and just kiss up on your cute little nephew or niece, just be smart,” North said.
The health department confirmed the cases were not connected to each other, which could cause more to start popping up.
Some residents, however, aren’t worried.
“There's going to be more than the five cases that were reported, I'm certain of that,” Allen said. “It would be a terrible thing to happen during the holidays, but it's probably .not the worst thing. Just vaccinate yourself, vaccinate your children and hope for the best.”
There are still two additional cases that are awaiting test results.
Symptoms to look out for include high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes and a rash that starts on the face and spreads downward, which can appear within 1-3 weeks after exposure.
Measles vaccine recommendations:
- Children should receive two doses of measles vaccine: one dose at 12 to 15 months of age and another at 4 to 6 years.
- Adults born before 1957 generally do not need to be vaccinated because they are likely already immune to measles due to widespread infection and illness before the measles vaccine became available in 1963.
- Adults who were vaccinated before 1968 should have a second dose because the vaccine used from 1963–1967 was less effective than the current vaccine, which became available in 1968.
- Adults who were vaccinated in 1968 or later are considered fully protected whether they have one or two doses, though certain higher risk groups (college students, healthcare workers, international travelers) should have two doses.
For more information, visit: wasatchcountyhd.org.
