Contact: Michelle Day, ONA Director of Communications & Technology, mday@ohnurses.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2025
Nurses and Teachers Unite, Urging People to Vaccinate Against Measles
As of March 27, 2025, Ohio is experiencing a measles outbreak centered in Ashtabula County, with 10 confirmed cases. According to the Ohio Department of Health, nine of these cases are linked to the state's first reported measles case of the year. Additionally, a visitor in Knox County has exposed individuals in Knox and nearby counties to the virus. None of the affected individuals were vaccinated.
The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is through the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine. It is 97% effective in preventing measles with a second dose, which is generally administered by age 6.
“Despite clear evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of the MMR vaccine, too many parents are still opting out—leaving their children and entire communities vulnerable to preventable diseases,” said Rick Lucas, BSN, RN, CCRN, President and Executive Director of the Ohio Nurses Association. “This outbreak is a stark reminder that declining vaccination rates have real and dangerous consequences. Public health depends on all of us doing our part to protect one another.”
Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, adds, “Every student deserves a safe learning environment when they go to school. Overwhelming evidence shows that vaccination against measles is safe and effective, while the risks of not receiving the vaccine include death or lifelong health impacts.”
A measles outbreak poses significant dangers in healthcare and education settings due to the highly contagious nature of the disease and its potential complications. Nurses and teachers, who are on the frontlines in these settings, are especially at risk. Dangerous factors in a measles outbreak include:
- High Contagion Rate – Measles spreads through airborne droplets, making hospitals and clinics high-risk environments for both patients and healthcare workers. It also spreads rapidly in classrooms, cafeterias, and playgrounds, endangering students and staff who have not been vaccinated.
- Severe Complications – Measles can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis (brain inflammation), and death, especially in young children, immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant women. Infected students and teachers may experience severe illness, absences, and long-term complications affecting education. Outbreaks can also lead to school closures, quarantines, and mass absenteeism, negatively impacting academic progress.
- Strain on Healthcare Resources – An outbreak increases hospital admissions, overburdens emergency rooms, and requires strict infection control measures including PPE that schools often don’t have readily available.
- Impact on Vulnerable Populations – Healthcare settings and schools have large concentrations of people with weakened immune systems, making outbreaks particularly dangerous.
Both nurses and teachers rely on community immunity (herd immunity) to protect those who cannot be vaccinated, making MMR vaccination critical in preventing outbreaks.
In an effort to protect the most vulnerable, young people and those who are immunocompromised, ONA and OFT encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.
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