Naples school takes precautions after measles exposure

NORTH NAPLES- Parents are on edge in Naples after learning about a measles exposure at Naples Classical Academy earlier this month. The school announced that an infected adult briefly visited the campus on February 10.

The academy has canceled and rescheduled all public-facing events and activities as a precautionary measure. This decision will remain in effect until March 3, allowing the school 21 days to monitor for any symptoms among staff and students. So far, no one has shown symptoms of measles.

Chris Wester, head of Naples Classical Academy, explained the situation to parents.

"We sent messaging out to our families, explaining the situation, also explaining this was not a full-time staff member, nor was it a scholar that had contracted this, but with somebody who was on campus for a very limited period of time," said Wester. "We then went into a mode in which we wanted to ensure that we were communicating thoroughly, that we were doing everything in our power to mitigate any spread of the illness."

The presence of measles on campus follows a significant outbreak at Ave Maria University, putting parents across Collier County on high alert. Joann Greenberg, a concerned parent whose son has an autoimmune disease, shared her thoughts.

"It's a detrimental risk," said Greenberg. "Now we're back to masking up when we're going to stores, cautious, sanitizing, cleaning our hands, keeping our hands away from our faces, trying to take all the precautions we can, with education and cleanliness and keeping good distance and space from one another."

Dr. Rosemary Higgins from Florida Gulf Coast University offered advice for parents.

"If you're not vaccinated and you are exposed, you may get immunity protection if you are vaccinated within 72 hours of the exposure," said Higgins. "So it can help, and you may still get the measles, but it may be less of a case, or you may not get them."

Higgins also advised parents of children with compromised immune systems to consult their doctors.

"They may be able to contact their doctor, and sometimes an immune globulin can be given," said Higgins. "They can also test to see if the child has immunity to the measles."

School administrators mentioned that excused absences might be granted for immunocompromised students on a case-by-case basis with a doctor's note.