measles vaccine

The 21-day infectious period at Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston ended last week. The district says the health department provided guidance during that period.

The CDC has a desired immunization rate of 95%, but Florida remains below that at 91% of the population covered, data show.

The highly contagious disease was reported by someone 20 to 24 years old in Polk. It's unknown if it's connected to a school outbreak in Broward, where a case involving a child under 5 was confirmed.

Two more cases - one confirmed and one probable - were reported after an outbreak of six infections at a Weston elementary school. The outbreak is raising questions about the highly contagious, viral respiratory infection.

In the wake of measles cases at a Broward school, Florida's surgeon general writes that the Department of Health “is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance” without urging the need for MMR vaccinations.

The health department is looking into five cases of the highly contagious disease at Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston and hoping to identify contacts at risk of transmission.

Another reason not to skip the measles vaccine: A measles infection may cause lasting harm to the immune system, research finds, making patients more vulnerable to other diseases.