OTTAWA COUNTY (WHTC-AM/FM) — A case of confirmed chickenpox has been reported in an unvaccinated student attending Rosy Mound Elementary in Grand Haven Area Public Schools. Parents of students in this school building were notified of the chickenpox case in a letter stating:
- 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, they will be excluded from school and all school-related activities, and should be restricted from other public gatherings through December 30. They may return to school and other activities December 31, provided they have not developed chickenpox during this time period.
- 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 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 any questions about chickenpox please contact your family’s physician. Further information about chickenpox can be found at www.cdc.gov/chickenpox.
Chickenpox is a highly contagious illness that generally starts with a slight fever, followed by a blister-like, itchy rash. Although this is usually not a serious illness, in some children and certain high-risk individuals chickenpox can cause much more severe illness leading to hospitalization or even death. Children and adults who have a compromised immune system through medication or a medical condition should contact their physician.
