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After the measles outbreak that has affected hundreds of quarantined students at the UCLA and Cal State campuses in Los Angeles, El Camino College's health officials are prepared for an outbreak on campus.
Susan Nilles, director of the El Camino College Health Center, said she was in communication with the Los Angeles County Public Health Department to ensure that the proper protocol is in place to EC in case of epidemic.
"The worst case scenario is that someone arrives with a group of people who are not immune," Nilles said. "Every student needs to know their immune status to stay healthy."
Measles was considered eradicated in the United States in 2000, but the Nilles reported that the anti-vaccination movement had contributed to the return of the disease, as had visits to countries where the disease was active.
"It has been proven that unvaccinated individuals fall ill," said Nilles.
Measles and vaccinations
Health officials have worked to identify hundreds of cases involving people in the Los Angeles area who may have been in contact with the disease that spreads by coughing and sneezing, according to the Control Center and Prevention of Disease (CDC).
The main symptom of measles is often a heavy rash, but the viral infection can also be diagnosed by a cough, a runny nose or a high fever.
Nilles said students should phone the health center if they suspect they have measles and stay in place so that the affected area can be quarantined until the health authorities can confirm that the disease has disappeared.
In some cases, measles can cause pneumonia, swelling of the brain and death, according to the Los Angeles Public Health Department.
Although the disease can be prevented with a single measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Nilles said fewer people had received the MMR vaccine, according to the Los Angeles Public Health Department.
According to the CDC, measles is highly contagious: 90% of non-immune people who come into contact with the disease are infected.
Despite the anti-vaccination movement, there are other people whose immune system is weak and who therefore can not fight diseases even when they are vaccinated, such as chemotherapy patients, said Nilles.
If everyone is vaccinated, the disease will not touch the non-immune. We "rely on collective immunity," said Nilles.
But herd immunity is no longer as strong as before, she added.
Treatment and resources
The EC health center is funded by student health fees and does not accept insurance, which is why he is offering the MMR vaccine for a $ 60 rebate, Nilles said.
She added that the health center is also offering a $ 7 titration test to diagnose measles among students.
Since the health center is funded by student health fees, it only deals with students.
However, Nilles said that faculty and staff seeking treatment at the health center or that students who can not afford to buy the $ 60 vaccine will be connected to clinics in the area that can provide work with the clinic. their insurance.
"We want to help them and connect them to someone," said Nilles. "It's not about saying" never "to anyone or" good luck "."
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