For Immediate Release:
May 18, 2006

Contact:
Nanci Gonder, Chief
Office of Public Information
573-751-6062

Summer Camps Should Check Vaccination Status of Campers

As the summer begins, many children will attend camps of various kinds. Parents and camp administrators should make sure that campers provide documentation of vaccination, especially with the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine (MMR). “Children who attend will be closely associating with each other. We need to make sure they are protected,” said Julie Eckstein, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).

Iowa is reporting more than 1,500 cases of mumps since the beginning of the year, and Missouri has more than 100, which is 20 times the annual average. In all of 2004, there were 258 cases reported nationally.

The best protection from mumps is to be vaccinated with MMR vaccine. Anyone over one year old who has not had the vaccine should receive two doses, separated by four weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a third dose will not provide any additional protection.

In Missouri, two doses of MMR vaccine have been required for school attendance for kindergarten entry since 1990. Most people born after about 1985 should be fully vaccinated, but it's always a good idea to check your immunization records to be sure.

DHSS recommends that camp administrators ask for copies of immunization records for all campers and staff members. “Making sure that everyone is fully immunized is the best way to protect from vaccine-preventable diseases and to have a productive and enjoyable experience at camp,” Eckstein said.

Anyone who would like more information about vaccines should contact their local health department or the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services at 573-751-6124. More information about mumps can be found on the DHSS website at www.dhss.mo.gov.