Confirmed Case of Measles at Lowell Community Health Center Actions underway to minimize public health risk

LOWELL, MA – A confirmed case of measles has been identified in a pediatric patient who was at Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) on Thursday, November 8. The patient, who is recovering at home, was immediately isolated at the health center to mitigate exposure.

Lowell CHC immediately engaged the Lowell Health Department and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in collaborating to identify individuals who might have been exposed.

Anyone who was in the Lowell CHC main lobby, pediatric waiting room, pharmacy, or lab between the hours of 12:53 p.m. and 5:22 p.m. might have been exposed to measles. ​​In addition, the health center is seeking to identify anyone who accompanied a patient or who visited the lab or pharmacy between those hours on November 8 and is therefore at risk for exposure.

Anyone who has already been vaccinated is not at risk. In addition, anyone born before 1957 who was born in the U.S. is likely immune.

The health center is asking patients who were at Lowell CHC during the hours listed above and who do not have confirmed immunization records to come in for testing to determine immunity and to get immunized. Lowell CHC will be open until 5 p.m. today (Saturday, November 10) and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 11 to accommodate these patients. Patients do not need an appointment

Anyone who is ​not​ a Lowell CHC patient but who was present in the health center pharmacy, lobby, pediatrics department or lab between the hours of 12:53 p.m. and 5:22 p.m. on November 8 should promptly contact their primary care doctor to determine if they should be tested and vaccinated. Testing and vaccination for these individuals is also available at the health center, located at 161 Jackson Street in Lowell. The City of Lowell Health Department and Lowell General Hospital are working with Lowell CHC to provide testing and vaccines.

In addition, young infants, pregnant women, those with severe vaccine allergies and those who are immunocompromised should talk to their doctor about whether additional prevention steps are necessary. The Department of Public Health is working to identify any exposure the individual might have had outside of Lowell CHC.

Those who were not previously vaccinated and were exposed but opt not to be to vaccinated must exclude themselves from public activities, including work or school, from day five through day 21 of exposure, to avoid spreading the disease.

For information about testing and immunization, call Lowell Community Health Center at 978.937.9700. For information about measles, the public may call their primary care doctor, the Lowell City Health Department at 978.674.4010 during regular business hours, or the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at 617. 983.6800 (24 hours a day).

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About Lowell Community Health Center:​

Founded in 1970, Lowell Community Health Center provide “caring, quality, and culturally appropriate health services to the people of Greater Lowell, regardless of their financial status.” Almost 80% of those served by Lowell CHC live below the federal poverty level, and close to half are best served in a language other than English. For information, visit ​www.lchealth.org​ or call 978.746.7891.