Measles outbreak in Clark County has campus taking precautionary steps
Since the start of the measles outbreak in Clark County, many students have wondered what exactly will happen at WSU Vancouver if someone on campus were infected. With over 60 confirmed local cases, the administration have discussed precautionary plans if there were to be an exposure incident on campus.
In early February WSU Vancouver Chancellor Mel Netzhammer sent a campus wide email which stated, “If a case of measles were confirmed on campus, it could lead to faculty, staff and students who cannot prove immunity being excluded from campus for up to 21 days.”
The duration of 21 days is a standard, countywide exclusion set by Clark County Public Health, according to Brenda Alling, WSU Vancouver director of marketing and communication and public information officer. She explained that in the event of an outbreak on campus, the call of exclusion would not be made by WSU Vancouver or the administrators, but by the county.
Alling said, “We don’t have any confirmed cases on campus.” Adding, “If that were to change, then we would start monitoring immunizations.”
Alling continued, “We’re looking at ways between faculty and our Vancouver IT department to make sure that students can still participate in class whether or not they were on campus.”
She advised students to continue to monitor the situation and locate immunization records.
Thomas May, a professor of medicine at WSU Vancouver, voiced his frustration over the recent outbreak.
“We have recognized the potential for outbreaks if [vaccine] exemptions were too high for many years. I worry that today’s parents have not experienced the threats of significant infectious disease outbreaks and so are less appreciative of the benefits of vaccination,” May said. “It is frustrating that we need an outbreak and its associated risks to motivate this.”
Since the Clark County outbreak, May noticed an increase in unvaccinated children getting vaccinated.
Some students have expressed concern and frustration regarding the situation. Students are nearing the point of the semester where midterms are looming, classwork is growing heavy and immune systems are tested.
Bronwyn Richards, WSU Vancouver integrated
strategic communications major. (Sydnie Kobza/The VanCougar)
Bronwyn Richards, an integrated strategic communications major said about vaccines, “It really grinds my gears when people start discounting medical professionals. . . I think the best information that you can get is from a medical professional.”
On the topic of a possible 21-day quarantine for students who are unable to prove their immunity records, Richards said, “That’s gonna be a really tough spot for a lot of students . . . for something that maybe wasn’t their fault.”
-Janet Duong, ASWSUV senator and biology major
“I didn’t even know we had free vaccinations or testing. People aren’t aware of what we have.”
“Get fucking vaccinated,” Richards said. With regards to vaccines, she added how she hopes people “talk to their provider, they listen to their doctor and they realize that this is a medical professional.”
Associated Students of Washington State University Vancouver Senator Janet Duong, a biology major minoring in chemistry, had a similar point of view to Richards. Duong stated, “There are no excuses because the Wellness Center [at WSU Vancouver] offers [several] vaccines,” adding, “Vaccinations are not only helping us, but not putting other people at risk. By helping yourself, you’re helping everyone.”
Duong explained how becoming more educated about vaccines is the best way to help. “I didn’t even know we had free vaccinations or testing,” she said. “People aren’t aware of what we have.”
A measles exposure event on campus could also put children in the Child Development Program at risk.
Kimbree Brown, WSU Vancouver child development program manager inside the pre-school in the McClasky Building. (Sydnie Kobza/The VanCougar)
WSU Vancouver Child Development Program Manager, Kimbree Brown, explained that while children are required to be vaccinated to attend the school, exemptions are allowed. “Any sort of exemptions around immunizations have to be on the correct documentation and with the correct medical provider’s approval,” Brown explained. She acknowledged that the breakout is scary, but added that she is making plans and communicating with parents during this uneasy time.
“We have been keeping up to date with all the information from Clark County Public Health and that’s where we really follow their recommendations in terms of what we track and how we communicate what were to happen should WSU, the campus, be identified,” Brown said.
“Should [an outbreak at WSU Vancouver] happen we would communicate as soon as possible with all of our staff and all of the parents and we would also have to let Clark County Public Health and Department of Children, Youth, and Families know,” she said. “We have 24 hours to do that but we would, of course, do that as soon as we got the information.”
Brown said in regards to exempted children, “they would be required to not attend [for 21 days].” She added that plans would be made with parents of these children about the required absence.
There have been recent efforts to spread the word about resources offered on campus. The Student Resource Center shared the Student Wellness Center hours and location with information detailing where students can locate their immunization records and that if needed, vaccination shots are provided. The Student Wellness Center is located in the Classroom Building, Room 106 and health services are available Mondays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments can be made by phone at (360) 546-9238.
As of the writing of this story, the outbreak seems to have slowed since it started in January.
Resources to check immunization records can be found on https://myir.net/. Additionally, students can get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the Wellness Center on campus for free.
Correction: March 19, 2019
An earlier version of this article quoted a student who stated “There are no excuses because the Wellness Center [at WSU Vancouver] offers all vaccines.” For the record, the Student Wellness Center at WSU Vancouver does not offer all vaccinations, but does offer five common immunizations. The earlier version of this article also incorrectly referenced the Student Wellness Center as the Wellness Center. Additionally, the earlier version of this article implied appointments for the center could be made via email, when in fact appointments can only be made over the phone. Lastly, the earlier version of this article stated the center is open from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. on Mondays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays, however those time frames are specifically for health services, not all services offered by the center.