Health Center Offers Measles-Immunity Check; OC Health Care Agency Updates Status
Cypress College’s Health Center offers a blood test to check immunity related to the measles. Measles has been in the news following local outbreaks in recent weeks.
In response to the outbreak, the Orange County Health Care Agency has provided information that clearly defines who may need a vaccination booster. The only screening for childhood-diseases vaccinations conducted at Cypress College is done for students in Health Science programs.
According to the Health Center and the Health Care Agency, measles is a problem related to unvaccinated children in the US and the increase in global travel to parts of the world where measles has never been eradicated:
Measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that causes fever, rash, cough, and red, watery eyes. Measles spreads very easily by air and by direct contact with an infected person. Measles is contagious from approximately 4 days before the rash appears through 4 days after the rash appears. Measles is a rare disease in the United States and in regions of the world where vaccination coverage is high. Maintaining high vaccination rates is vital to preventing outbreaks of disease in our community.
Cypress College’s Health Center will test immunity levels of students. Two screenings are available: measles only, for $10; or a full test for all childhood diseases (known as IgG) for $25. The OC Public Health Agency in Santa Ana offers the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination to community members for an injection fee of approximately $20.
This photograph, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, shows the skin of a patient after 3 days of measles infection. Source: CDC
From the Orange County Health Care Agency:
Measles has now been confirmed in 23 Orange County (OC) residents, signaling ongoing transmission in the community and at the Disneyland Parks. Additional cases are expected in Orange County. For more information on clinical presentation, infection control, reporting, and testing, please see our previous alert dated January 21, 2015, available at www.ochealthinfo.com/measles.
The Cypress College Health Center can be reached at (714) 484-7361. Information about the center and its services is also available on the web.