FireLake Discount Foods and Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services are working closely with the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Pottawatomie County Health Department on an investigation related to a case of measles in an out-of-state resident who traveled to Oklahoma.
Employees and customers may have been unknowingly exposed if they visited the FireLake Discount Foods location on Gordon Cooper Drive between 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on April 27, 2018.
“The health and safety of our employees and customers is a top priority for us,” said Richard Driskell, director, FireLake Discount Foods. “We are urging our employees and customers to monitor themselves for any symptoms of measles such as a high fever and respiratory symptoms like cough and runny nose. If our employees who were working during the specified time exhibit any of these symptoms we have instructed them to stay home from work and contact the Pottawatomie County Health Department for instructions.”
FireLake Discount Foods has worked with the Pottawatomie County Health Department and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services to identify all employees who were working during the designated time. According to the Center for Disease Control, the MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93 percent effective.
“Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes,” said Mike Mannell, an epidemiologist with the Oklahoma State Health Department. “The virus may remain airborne up to two hours in a room after the person with measles has left an indoor area. Persons are protected if they are immunized with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine after the first birthday, or if they were born during or before 1957.”
Individuals that were exposed and are not experiencing symptoms of illness do not need to be evaluated by a healthcare provider. Individuals experiencing symptoms of illness suggestive of measles, should contact their healthcare provider before presenting for care to discuss instructions for check-in and registration.
If employees or customers experience any symptoms they should contact the Pottawatomie County Health Department at (405) 273-2157 or the epidemiologist-on-call if after-hours at (405) 271-4060. Native American individuals who are experiencing symptoms can call Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services at 405-273-5236 and ask to speak to Public Health.
For more information from the Oklahoma State Department of Health please visit https://go.usa.gov/xQ5p5.