School Receives Chickenpox Alert from County

— from Eric Webb for Orcas School District —

The following is a Chickenpox Alert from San Juan County Health & Community Services. At this time Orcas Island School District does not have a student with a confirmed case of the chickenpox.

Three school- and preschool-aged children have CONFIRMED cases of varicella (chickenpox) on Lopez and Orcas islands, with additional possible cases awaiting evaluation from health care providers within the county.

Because chickenpox is highly contagious, we are alerting all parents of students in the county. We urge you to check your child’s immunization status to determine whether they are up to date, and to contact your primary care provider to obtain any required immunizations. Varicella is an infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which results in a blister-like rash, tiredness, and fever. The varicella virus spreads from person to person by direct contact or through the air from an infected person’s coughing or sneezing. A person with the disease is contagious 1-2 days before the rash appears and remains contagious until all the blisters have formed scabs. It takes from 10-21 days after exposure for someone to develop skin lesions. Susceptible individuals are considered infectious for up to 21 days following an exposure. Siblings of someone/a child with varicella have a 60-100% chance of becoming infected as well.

If your or your child presents with these symptoms, please seek medical attention and remain at home until the rash is completely gone and all the blisters are dried. If a child has developed chickenpox previously, their immune status must be documented by a medical provider in order for them not to be excluded from school. Proof of immunity includes: verification of current required vaccinations, physician documented history of disease, or positive blood titer result demonstrating varicella immunity.

If a case of chickenpox is present in your child’s school, all children who do not have proof of immunity to chickenpox on file at the school will be excluded from school for 21 days after the last case is identified in the school.

Any women who are pregnant, or could be pregnant, as well as persons who are immunosuppressed, are advised to follow up with their medical provider to inform them that chickenpox is active in the community, and of their potential exposure to chickenpox. People in these groups are more likely to develop severe illness or serious complications.

We strongly recommend against intentionally exposing any child to chickenpox. First, because one cannot count on the disease running a mild course; the child could become much more sick than intended. Second, the exposed child can infect other individuals during the incubation period, particularly vulnerable individuals (infants, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems) for whom the course of illness can become much more serious, even dangerous.

Again, we encourage you to check your child’s immunization status to determine whether they are up to date, and to contact your primary care provider to obtain any required immunizations.
Ellen Wilcox, MSW, MPH
Frank James, MD
San Juan County Health & Community Services
360-378-4474 (P) | 360-378-7036 (F)