The measles is coming to Utah, and the public is concerned about health and safety. Measles, a disease that was thought to be a thing of the past, is making a fast comeback. Since the measles outbreak, Utahns have been trying hard to stay safe and prevent its spread. 

According to Medical Assistant Sam Owen who works at South Ridge Pediatrics Hospital, “Due to the measles outbreak, our clinic has been triaging multiple calls a day depending on certain symptoms. If the patient has symptoms similar to measles, we will then do a car side visit which prevents the spread of measles.” 

To better prevent the spread of measles, the public needs to stay home when feeling sick or experiencing symptoms of the measles. Sometimes it can be hard to tell what the symptoms of the measles are. According to Owen, “Measles usually presents with a rash and watery eyes; however, we have had multiple patients test positive for measles with neither of those symptoms. It all just depends.” He also mentioned that the best way to prevent the spread of measles is to frequently wash hands and to stay home if patients have felt any of the above symptoms. 

Sidonie Kruger, a Junior at Skyline, mentioned that she doesn’t know anyone personally that has gotten the measles, but she does think that it would be scary to have a friend who has gotten infected. Even though Kruger doesn’t know anyone who has gotten the measles personally, there have still been many cases in Park City and the area around Skyline.

 Getting the measles can mean staying home from school; however, staying home can prevent the further spread of the disease to others in the community. 

Measles can have a great impact on school and personal life for everyone. With rising cases, these impacts are becoming more of a reality for more people. Owens says, “What parents don’t understand is that if they are not choosing to vaccinate their kid it can result in a bigger health issue.”