Berkeley County schools on alert as measles cases surge in SC
Keep track of South Carolina's measles outbreak at the SC's Dept. of Health Department's daily updates.
While South Carolina continues to be at the epicenter of the largest measles outbreak in 25 years, Berkeley County is preparing for the potential impact on local schools.
As of Feb. 3, the state has 876 confirmed cases of the virus, primarily in the Upstate, which accounts for 80% of the cases in the United States this year.
With the number of cases rising, Charleston-area health officials are warning that unvaccinated communities – even in the Lowcountry – remain most at risk.
“Measles is one of the most contagious infections we know,” said Dr. Stephen Thacker, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at MUSC Children’s Health. “It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can linger in a room for hours, which makes it really easy for us to spread.”
The disease is far more serious than its signature rash suggests, as Thacker said, “It can cause high fever, pneumonia, brain swelling, and sometimes lead to hospitalization, and in rare cases, death."
WHO'S MOST AT RISK?
Infants, young children under age five, pregnant individuals, and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.
Symptoms typically appear seven to 12 days after exposure and include cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and fever, followed by a rash that spreads from the face to the body.
Families who suspect exposure should contact a health care provider immediately. Doctors may use isolation measures and could ask patients to remain at home until cleared.
Health officials said most of the cases involve unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals, often linked to travel or communities with lower vaccination rates.
According to Dr. Kent Stock, an epidemiologist with Roper St. Francis Healthcare, “If you don’t have a vaccination rate of 95% or higher, then you won’t be able to achieve herd immunity.”
Berkeley County’s vaccination rate currently hovers around 93%, leaving the area at a higher risk.
BERKELEY CO. SCHOOLS PREPARE
Schools are closely monitoring the situation.
While no confirmed cases have been reported in Berkeley County to date, the school district is urging parents to ensure their children are up to date on the MMR vaccine.
If a measles case is confirmed on campus, schools must immediately exclude the student, notify the Department of Health, and also exclude any students without a current MMR record.
Unvaccinated students can receive the vaccine within 72 hours to return to school.
In an email sent to parents, the Berkeley County School District stated that “maintaining high vaccination rates is essential to preventing outbreaks and protecting the broader community through herd immunity.”
HEALTH OFFICIALS: GET VACCINATED
Health care professionals said vaccinations remain the most effective protection.
“The most important step is really to make sure that children receive the MMR vaccine,” Thacker said. Children receive one dose around age one and a second dose between ages four and six.
For infants too young to be vaccinated, Thacker recommends a “cocooning” strategy, ensuring parents, siblings, and caregivers are fully immunized, avoiding large crowds, and, in certain situations, giving infants an early MMR dose.
Stock stressed the wider impact of an outbreak.
“Because of exposure, it’s a significant interruption to not only the public, but also businesses," he said. "So it’s in our interest economically to promote vaccination and mitigation techniques that will protect our citizens.”
With measles spreading rapidly in the Upstate, Berkeley County families are urged to check vaccination records and speak with health care providers.
Stock warned, “We all feel it’s just a matter of time before it ultimately reaches the Lowcountry."