Health authorities have set up a pop-up testing centre to check people’s immunity to measles and are telling close contacts at an Auckland school to isolate if they aren’t immune. Photo / DermNetNZ.org
Health authorities have set up a pop-up testing centre to check people’s immunity to measles and are telling close contacts at an Auckland school to isolate if they aren’t immune. Photo / DermNetNZ.org
Health authorities have created a pop-up testing centre to check people’s immunity to measles and are telling close contacts from an Auckland school to isolate if they aren’t immune.
And Albany Senior High School principal Claire Amos said the school would do ‘Learning from Home’ on Monday “to give usreasonable time to confirm the number of available staff moving forward”.
On Wednesday night Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) ordered Albany Senior High School to close for two days because a student with measles had attended school while infectious last week.
All 900 students and 100 staff were considered close contacts because the student was in all five of the school’s open-plan modern learning environments while infectious.
ARPHS has been contacting those who are not considered immune and advising them to isolate at home for seven days from Thursday.
On Wednesday night Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) ordered Albany Senior High School to close for two days because a student with measles had attended school while infectious last week. Photo / Supplied
People are considered immune if they have evidence of two MMR doses after 12 months of age, have had measles or were born before 1969.
In an update from ARPH via Te Whata Ora on Thursday night, a spokesperson said those students and staff at Albany Senior High School “need to stay at home in quarantine”.
Stay home, don’t go to work, social or sports events, say health authorities
ARPHS said all parents and staff at Albany Senior High School had been sent a letter telling them to check their and their children’s immunity to measles and to stay home.
“Student immunisation records are held by the school and these are being verified to speed up checking of immunity,” ARPHS said.
“A pop-up testing centre was set up today to carry out rapid testing of staff who do not have records of immunity. Their samples are being prioritised for processing by the labs, to speed up immunity checks.”
Some staff were getting blood tests to check their immunity.
“People who are not immune need to quarantine until 14 days after the last day of exposure (being in contact) with someone who has measles.”
While ARPHS tested people’s immunity, they needed to stay away from work, social and sporting events until public health agencies contacted them to tell them otherwise.
“Everyone at the school has been advised to watch out for measles symptoms, particularly if they are not considered immune to the virus.”
Amos said in a message to parents on Friday, said that there were a “small number” of staff who were born before 1969 and are therefore considered immune.
More information about staff should be known on Saturday.
“.Over 600 of our students are confirmed as fully vaccinated based on the national immunisation database,” Amos said. “Those students do not need to isolate. The rest of the students will need to continue to isolate until they either have their evidence checked or pass the 14-day isolation mark on Friday.”
Amos asked parents and caregivers to support students to “get online and engage with the classes” on Monday.
It was hoped face-to-face teaching could resume as soon as possible.
Measles symptoms included a fever, cough, runny nose and sore and watery “pink” eyes, ARPHS said.
“If you catch measles you’re infectious four days before and until four days after the rash appears. People have been advised to seek health advice if they or their child develop symptoms.
“Anyone with concerns about measles symptoms can call their doctor, or ring Healthline (for free) any time on 0800 611 116. Healthline also has interpreters for those who need one.”
