Measles case closes Oxford Area High School in Chester County

Districts in other outbreak areas have not been closing schools as the state grapples with its worst measles outbreak in three decades, but school officials in the Chester County community west of Philadelphia made the decision after consulting with county health officials to limit the risk from the highly contagious disease.

In a letter to the school community, Oxford Area School District Superintendent David Woods said that all students and staff who are unvaccinated, or do not have proof of their vaccination status, will be required to quarantine at home for 21 days. The school’s quarantine decision follows Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines.

Schools are required by state law to track and report data for all required vaccines — including the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine — for students but not for staff.