Haywood County Schools has been collaborating with public health officials who are monitoring the measles outbreak across the country.  When this press release was drafted, there were no known measles cases in North Carolina.  We will continue to communicate with public health officials as they monitor this developing communicable disease situation.

If a measles case is identified among Haywood County Schools’ students during the 2019-20 school year, the diagnosed student will be removed from school based upon recommendations from the attending physician and public health officials.  Additionally, any students who do not have valid documented measles vaccinations will be removed from the diagnosed student’s school.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends, “Persons who continue to be exempted from or who refuse measles vaccination should be excluded from school, childcare, or other institutions until 21 days after rash onset in the last case of measles.”  Approximately 60 students in Haywood County Schools do not have valid documentation of measles vaccinations.

Contact:  Dr. Bill Nolte, Superintendent