GCHD will offer no-cost, drive-thru measles vaccination clinic

MOSES LAKE — A no-cost, drive-thru measles vaccination clinic will be available to the public on Tuesday, March 24, from 1-4 p.m. in the parking lot of the Grant County Health District, 1038 W. Ivy Ave. in Moses Lake.

An MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine will be provided for children and adults ages 12 months and older. Insurance is not required, but persons with health insurance are asked to bring their provider card.

Participants can register in advance, but walk-ins are also welcome. The no-cost clinic is being offered by health district in partnership with Care-A-Van.

It follows last week’s confirmation that two unvaccinated children in Grant County had been diagnosed with measles and one was briefly hospitalized.

As of Monday (March 23), no new cases have been reported in the county. But the health district said 255 people had been exposed to the infected children before they were diagnosed with the virus, which is highly contagious.

The public exposure times and locations in Moses Lake have been identified as:

—    Saturday, March 7, 9:20 a.m. to 1 p.m., Confluence Direct Care (walk-in clinic), 840 E. Hill Ave.;

—    Tuesday, March 10, 2:20-5:50 p.m., Samaritan Care Today (family care), 1550 S. Pioneer Way;

—    Wednesday, March 11, 2:15-8:30 p.m., Samaritan Emergency Department, 2000 S. Clover Drive;

—    Thursday, March 12, 9:05 p.m. to 12:10 a.m., Samaritan Emergency Department, 2000 S. Clover Drive.

Persons at the locations during those times and up to two hours afterward could have been exposed. If unvaccinated or not up to date on their MMR immunizations, exposed individuals most likely would become sick between Saturday, March 14 and Thursday, April 2.

Measles symptoms include unexplained rash, fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and tiny white spots inside the mouth two to three days after other symptoms begin.

Along with unvaccinated persons, those who may face increased risks if they are exposed to virus include pregnant women, children under six months of age, and persons with weakened immune systems.

GCHD has launched an online measles dashboard with information that includes confirmed local cases, identified exposures, hospitalizations, how to check on personal MMR status, and where to get the vaccine in Grant County.