Nevada County Measles Case Shutters School In Area With Low Vaccination Rates
By Kelly Ryan
NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — A case of measles shut down a Nevada County elementary school as officials try to prevent an outbreak in an area with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state.
Yuba River Charter School was closed on Tuesday, extending its spring break by a day, after reports an unvaccinated student came to school infected with measles before the break.
The school will reopen on Wednesday, but only for students who have been vaccinated. School officials will be checking records before students go inside. Students who have not been vaccinated will not be allowed back until at least April 8.
The Nevada County Health Department confirmed the measles case, saying it's associated with international travel and an unvaccinated individual.
Gina Herbert and her daughter showed up for school on Tuesday only to find the doors closed.
"I'm not really interested in vaccinating her though because I'm more concerned with problems that could cause her harm," she said.
She's not alone in that statement.
According to school records, there were 225 students at school on the day of the exposure, and 124 of them do not have vaccinations. Last year, vaccination rates came in at 43 percent.
Dr. Ken Cutler says measles was eradicated previously, but the low vaccination rates raise concern.
"We've been without measles for a long time and a lot of parents who are making decisions about vaccinations have not seen the consequences of these vaccine-preventable diseases," he said.
