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Measles

The Appleton Area School District and our local health departments would like to remind all families about the importance of protecting children from measles — a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious health complications, especially for infants and young children. Following strict quarantine and exclusion criteria is important in containing the spread of disease and preventing outbreaks.

What you need to know
The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is safe, effective, and the best protection against measles. Two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. The vaccine provides long-lasting protection against all strains of measles.

The state of Wisconsin is experiencing a growing number of measles cases. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has advised schools and given the following exclusion criteria.

  • Unvaccinated individuals who have come in contact with a person who has measles may need to stay home for up to 21 days.
  • Unvaccinated contacts, contacts with only 1 dose of MMR, or contacts that cannot produce evidence of immunity may remain in school if they receive one dose of the MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure to a known case of measles.
  • If a student is either severely immunocompromised or pregnant, it is recommended that they receive immunoglobulin within 6 days of exposure instead of an MMR dose. If the immunocompromised student (with 0 MMR vaccine doses prior to exposure) receives IG within 6 days of the first exposure date, they can continue to attend school.
  • Asymptomatic exposed students who have had 2 doses of MMR prior to the exposure may continue to attend school.

What You Can Do

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our community safe.