February 16, 2018 at 6:24 p.m.
Outbreak measures are lifted
Eight cases of chickenpox had been reported at Bloomfield
Outbreak measures are lifted
The chickenpox epidemic is over.
Jay County Health Department notified Jay School Corporation on Wednesday afternoon that outbreak control measures, including exclusion from school, have been lifted for Bloomfield Elementary.
The outbreak control measures had been put in place Jan. 31 after eight cases of chickenpox had been confirmed in a two-week span at Bloomfield. Indiana code defines an outbreak as more than five cases in the same area.
The measures were scheduled to last until Wednesday. They did not need to be extended because no more cases of chickenpox have been found.
As a result of the outbreak measures, 42 students (about 15 percent of Bloomfield’s enrollment) who had not been vaccinated against chickenpox (varicella) were excluded from school for the two-week period. Students could go back to school immediately upon receiving a vaccination, which was offered for free at the county health department.
Heath Butz of Jay County Health Department said Thursday afternoon that 24 students and staff from Bloomfield received vaccinations. (Staff members needed to be vaccinated if they could not prove that they either already had chickenpox or had been previously vaccinated.)
Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley noted Thursday that no staff members were effected by the outbreak.
He added that the situation highlighted the importance of contacting the health department early and understanding responsibilities.
“We learned a lot from it in working with the Indiana Department of Health, Jay County Health Department,” said Gulley.
See Lifted page 2
The chicken pox epidemic is over.
Jay County Health Department notified Jay School Corporation on Wednesday afternoon that outbreak control measures, including exclusion from school, have been lifted for Bloomfield Elementary.
The outbreak control measures had been put in place Jan. 31 after eight cases of chickenpox had been confirmed in a two-week span at Bloomfield. Indiana code defines an outbreak as more than five cases in the same area.
The measures were scheduled to last until Wednesday. They did not need to be extended because no more cases of chickenpox have been found.
As a result of the outbreak measures, 42 students (about 15 percent of Bloomfield’s enrollment) who had not been vaccinated against chickenpox (varicella) were excluded from school for the two-week period. Students could go back to school immediately upon receiving a vaccination, which was offered for free at the county health department.
Heath Butz of Jay County Health Department said Thursday afternoon that 24 students and staff from Bloomfield received vaccinations. (Staff members needed to be vaccinated if they could not prove that they either already had chickenpox or had been previously vaccinated.)
Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley noted Thursday that no staff members were effected by the outbreak.
He added that the situation highlighted the importance of contacting the health department early and understanding responsibilities.
“We learned a lot from it in working with the Indiana Department of Health, Jay County Health Department,” said Gulley.
School corporation staff was also in contact with officials in Vigo County, which had an outbreak in 2012.
“There was good communication.”
That included helping students who could not attend school keep up with both their assignments and preparation for the ISTEP tests later this month, he added.
“I think (principal Ben) Dues and the teachers at Bloomfield handled that very, very well,” Gulley said.
As a result of the outbreak, the school corporation reviewed vaccinations for all students and discovered that about 90 at the high school do not have the required immunizations or boosters. The health department is working to organize an immunization clinic to allow those students to get the required vaccinations, and a letter will be sent home to parents explaining the situation.
The state has a list of required immunizations, including Hepatitis B, Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough), Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella and Varicella (chickenpox). However, parents may sign a waiver for religious or health reasons.
Butz said the last record of an outbreak in Jay County involved measles at the high school, East Jay Middle School and Bloomfield Elementary in 1990.
The chickenpox vaccine became available in the United States in 1995. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were just over 7,000 cases reported in 2017, down from about 4 million annually prior to the availability of the vaccine.
Jay County Health Department notified Jay School Corporation on Wednesday afternoon that outbreak control measures, including exclusion from school, have been lifted for Bloomfield Elementary.
The outbreak control measures had been put in place Jan. 31 after eight cases of chickenpox had been confirmed in a two-week span at Bloomfield. Indiana code defines an outbreak as more than five cases in the same area.
The measures were scheduled to last until Wednesday. They did not need to be extended because no more cases of chickenpox have been found.
As a result of the outbreak measures, 42 students (about 15 percent of Bloomfield’s enrollment) who had not been vaccinated against chickenpox (varicella) were excluded from school for the two-week period. Students could go back to school immediately upon receiving a vaccination, which was offered for free at the county health department.
Heath Butz of Jay County Health Department said Thursday afternoon that 24 students and staff from Bloomfield received vaccinations. (Staff members needed to be vaccinated if they could not prove that they either already had chickenpox or had been previously vaccinated.)
Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley noted Thursday that no staff members were effected by the outbreak.
He added that the situation highlighted the importance of contacting the health department early and understanding responsibilities.
“We learned a lot from it in working with the Indiana Department of Health, Jay County Health Department,” said Gulley.
See Lifted page 2
Jay County Health Department notified Jay School Corporation on Wednesday afternoon that outbreak control measures, including exclusion from school, have been lifted for Bloomfield Elementary.
The outbreak control measures had been put in place Jan. 31 after eight cases of chickenpox had been confirmed in a two-week span at Bloomfield. Indiana code defines an outbreak as more than five cases in the same area.
The measures were scheduled to last until Wednesday. They did not need to be extended because no more cases of chickenpox have been found.
As a result of the outbreak measures, 42 students (about 15 percent of Bloomfield’s enrollment) who had not been vaccinated against chickenpox (varicella) were excluded from school for the two-week period. Students could go back to school immediately upon receiving a vaccination, which was offered for free at the county health department.
Heath Butz of Jay County Health Department said Thursday afternoon that 24 students and staff from Bloomfield received vaccinations. (Staff members needed to be vaccinated if they could not prove that they either already had chickenpox or had been previously vaccinated.)
Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley noted Thursday that no staff members were effected by the outbreak.
He added that the situation highlighted the importance of contacting the health department early and understanding responsibilities.
“We learned a lot from it in working with the Indiana Department of Health, Jay County Health Department,” said Gulley.
School corporation staff was also in contact with officials in Vigo County, which had an outbreak in 2012.
“There was good communication.”
That included helping students who could not attend school keep up with both their assignments and preparation for the ISTEP tests later this month, he added.
“I think (principal Ben) Dues and the teachers at Bloomfield handled that very, very well,” Gulley said.
As a result of the outbreak, the school corporation reviewed vaccinations for all students and discovered that about 90 at the high school do not have the required immunizations or boosters. The health department is working to organize an immunization clinic to allow those students to get the required vaccinations, and a letter will be sent home to parents explaining the situation.
The state has a list of required immunizations, including Hepatitis B, Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough), Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella and Varicella (chickenpox). However, parents may sign a waiver for religious or health reasons.
Butz said the last record of an outbreak in Jay County involved measles at the high school, East Jay Middle School and Bloomfield Elementary in 1990.
The chickenpox vaccine became available in the United States in 1995. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were just over 7,000 cases reported in 2017, down from about 4 million annually prior to the availability of the vaccine.
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