Texas State University students are on high alert after being informed of a potential measles exposure on their San Marcos campus. With fears of the highly contagious virus spreading, concerned students are prompting others to get vaccinated. "It's just not a great feeling," Newt Meek, a student, conveyed in an interview with CBS Austin. In a similar vein, Marcus De La Garza expressed to MSN, "It's kind of scary."
According to the Hays County Health Department, there are 90 confirmed measles cases within the state, and the university community is potentially compromised by a Gaines County resident's visit to the city on February 14. Dr. Peter Hotez of Texas Children's Hospital described the current situation to CBS Austin as "a very serious and very dangerous measles outbreak." Sarah Doss, the university's Director of University Health Services, emailed Texas State students about the measles risk for anyone who had been on campus between February 3 and 7 p.m. or at the nearby Twin Peaks Restaurant that same evening.
The university’s student health center is responding by offering measles vaccinations to those with appointments, slated to begin come Monday morning. In the face of this health crisis, classroom discussions at Texas State have pivoted to the historical context of epidemics and the vaccine’s role in prevention. "If we have the science to back up why vaccines are good for us, why don't we get them to prevent things from happening like this," Meek told CBS Austin in a recent statement.
Sharing details on the symptoms to watch for, the Hays County Health Department outlined in their report that red spots, fever, cough, and watery eyes might signal the onset of measles. They strongly recommend that anyone experiencing these symptoms immediately contact a healthcare provider and refrain from going to school or work or attending large gatherings. With the student health center's actions, Texas State hopes to curb what Dr. Hotez pointed out to be an escalating health threat.
