Ava Molenda
Contributing Writer
Cold and Flu season comes every year, however measles season is something new for our county this year. ESU is urging students to have some way of verifying their measles immunity and their immunization records due to the rising cases of measles across the United States as a whole, with 1,000 cases of measles recorded in Pennsylvania so far.
ESU Director of Health and Wellness, Kayla Simon, has come with a message to put students at ease, citing that there are currently no measles cases here on our campus or in surrounding counties. However, just because there are no current cases here on campus or in surrounding counties does not mean cases can’t arise and spread quickly, as measles is a highly contagious disease.
To be safe, ESU is closely monitoring measles cases in Pennsylvania and will follow all guidelines from the PA Department of Health if cases were to show up in our area.
Measles is a highly contagious disease, with rates of infection reaching up to 90% among individuals who are unprotected and aren’t immune. The Pennsylvania Department of Health provides a detailed fact sheet that covers symptoms of measles, how the disease is transmitted, how to go about getting a measles diagnosis, and what treatment for measles would look like.
To help prevent any cases of measles here on campus, ESU is encouraging students to upload their immunization records through the ESU Medicat Portal. In doing so the risk of measles cases on campus could be greatly reduced.
Accurate student medical records can also help reduce any possible quarantine time if students have been exposed to the disease. Students who have been exposed to measles are required to quarantine off campus for at least 21 days according to policy.
A measles outbreak or even a couple cases could mean disruptions in daily life here, as well as interruptions in attending and participating in classes, sports, clubs, internships, and daily campus life.
Acceptable forms of immunization include official measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine records from a student’s medical provider, lab results that conform a student’s immunity to the disease done in a measles test, or documented medical records that indicate a student has had a previous measles infection.
If there are any students who aren’t sure about their measles vaccination status they are able to request records from their personal healthcare providers in their home state.
ESU provides links to record request resources in Pennsylvania , Maryland , New Jersey , New York
If any students are feeling unwell they are highly encouraged to visit the student health center located inside Jeff Express urgent care at 200 East Brown St. in East Stroudsburg.
The student health center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Jeff Express urgent care is opened all week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For anyone who has questions about immunization documentation or how to upload documentation, contact ESU Student Health Services at 272‑762‑4378.
For student health-related questions, contact Kayla Simon, director of health and wellness at ksimon6@esu.edu.