WEST OTTAWA, Mich. - An elementary student in West Ottawa has a confirmed case of chickenpox.
The Ottawa County Department of Public Health learned about the case on Wednesday, Oct. 17. The unvaccinated student attends Waukazoo Elementary.
Parents of students in the school were notified by letter:
By order of the Ottawa County Department of Public Health under the authority of the Michigan Public Health Code Act 368 of 1978, if your child has not been immunized and you cannot provide a verification of a previous diagnosis of chickenpox, he/she will be excluded from school until November 1, 2018, and may return to school November 2, 2018, provided they have not developed chickenpox during this time period.
If you suspect that your child has chickenpox you are encouraged to contact your medical care provider. All individuals diagnosed with chickenpox should be kept home until the rash has crusted over (usually about five days).
If you have been told previously that your child should not receive the vaccine because of a medical condition, please contact your child’s medical provider in the event of chickenpox exposure.
If you have any questions about chickenpox please contact your family’s physician.
Additionally, children and adults who have a compromised immune system through medication or a medical condition should contact their physician.
Chickenpox is a highly contagious illness that generally starts with a slight fever, followed by a blister-like, itchy rash. In some children and certain high-risk individuals, chickenpox can cause much more severe illness leading to hospitalization or even death.
More information about the illness can be found at www.cdc.gov/chickenpox.
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