Measles Information for Families

Dear Families,

You may have heard about the measles outbreak in Clark County, Washington. There is also one confirmed case of measles in King County. We do not currently have any cases of measles in Seattle Public Schools. 

Measles is extremely contagious; the virus spreads through coughing and sneezing and can live in the air for up to two hours where an infected person has coughed or sneezed. Please monitor your child for signs of measles: fever, diarrhea, coughing, runny nose, red and watery eyes, tiredness with a rash that begins on the face and spreads to the entire body. For more information about measles (available in multiple languages), visit Public Health – Seattle & King County’s measles information page. If you think your child has measles, please keep them home and contact your health care provider for guidance.

The best protection against measles for yourself and your child is the MMR vaccine. The vaccine is available from your healthcare provider and some local pharmacies. Garfield students can also sign up to receive care at our teen health center, which is in Room 102 right across from the main office. Once registered, they can receive the MMR vaccine at school free of charge.

If an SPS-enrolled student contracts measles, Public Health – Seattle & King County has the authority to exclude the infected student from school, as well as students in the same school who do not have documentation of MMR immunization or who have an immunization exemption.

If you have questions about your child’s MMR vaccination status, please contact their health care provider or me directly. Thank you for helping to protect our Garfield community!

Sincerely,

Rebecca Dubin, BSN, RN

School Nurse

Garfield High School

 206-252-2277 (phone)

206-743-3121 (fax)
rcdubin@seattleschools.org