A possible measles exposure at a Southeast Portland campus has Centennial Middle School families pulling out vaccination records and watching for symptoms after state health officials flagged the school as an exposure site.
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) says a person with measles was on the Centennial Middle School campus on multiple days in early April, potentially exposing students, staff and visitors. Anyone who was at the school during the listed times is being asked to monitor their health closely and to talk with a medical provider if they think they might have been exposed.
Exposure windows and local contacts
As reported by FOX 12, OHA identified Centennial Middle School, 17650 SE Brooklyn St., as an exposure site and says potential exposures occurred between 9:20 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, and again Monday through Friday the following week (April 6 to 10).
FOX 12 adds that health officials are urging anyone who was at the school during those periods to contact their medical provider so they can be evaluated and advised on next steps.
Families who do not have a primary care provider can establish care through Multnomah County primary care clinics and student health centers. The county lists its new-patient line at 503-988-5558.
How measles spreads and who is most at risk
According to the Oregon Health Authority, measles spreads through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can hang in the air for up to two hours after that person has left a room.
People with measles are contagious starting four days before the rash appears and remain contagious until four days after the rash shows up. The illness can be especially severe for children younger than 5, adults older than 20, people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems.
OHA notes that two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles and that the risk of severe disease is very low for people who are up to date on their immunizations.
What to do if you were exposed
Anyone who was at Centennial Middle School during the exposure windows and is unvaccinated, under-vaccinated or unsure about their immunity should call a health care provider before showing up at a clinic or office. That advance call gives staff time to arrange a visit that limits possible exposure to others.
Multnomah County and OHA recommend several post-exposure options. MMR vaccine can be offered within 72 hours of exposure to eligible contacts, and immunoglobulin (IG) may be given within six days to certain high-risk people. Public health teams may also exclude students or staff who are considered susceptible during the measles incubation period.
Clinicians are being asked to collect appropriate lab specimens and notify local public health immediately if they suspect measles, according to Multnomah County.
Local context and vaccine resources
The Centennial alert comes amid a run of measles exposure notices this month in the region. Health officials have already flagged possible exposures at restaurants, grocery stores and hospital waiting rooms in Multnomah, Clackamas and Marion counties, underscoring that measles activity is still simmering locally.
To keep tabs on spread, OHA is using a combination of its communicable disease dashboard and wastewater surveillance to give local health teams a clearer picture of what is happening on the ground. For a deeper look at how that wastewater monitoring works and what the numbers might signal about local transmission, see Oregon sewers sound quiet measles alarm.
Where to get help
People who have questions about exposure, testing or immunization can call Multnomah County's communicable disease line at 503-988-3406 and can review county web pages for testing locations and vaccine clinic schedules.
If someone develops severe symptoms, health officials say to seek emergency care immediately. Otherwise, call a clinic or county line first so staff can plan a safe evaluation.
Public health officials continue to stress that the strongest protection against measles remains keeping vaccinations current for both children and adults.
