CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Health Department officials are connecting the emergence of a mumps infection at Delhi's C.O. Harrison Elementary School, a cluster of chickenpox in Cincinnati and a national rise in measles cases to a consistent decline in vaccination rates among the general population.
C.O. Harrison administrators sent a letter to parents Friday indicating a student or staff member had contracted the virus and warned people to monitor for symptoms including swelling under the jaw, fever, headache, abdominal pain and more through Feb. 13.
Cincinnati Health Department Health Commissioner Dr. Grant Mussman said the viruses were once common, but vaccination made them increasingly rare.
Chickenpox, he said, was common through the mid-1990s when a vaccine was first distributed.
"I remember as a kid having it, and I remember exactly what it looked like, what it felt like," Mussman said. "Holy smokes it was itchy."
A drop in vaccination rates has allowed the diseases to make a comeback as an increasingly unprotected population allows the virus to reach more and more vulnerable people.
"The nice thing about herd immunity is it keeps the disease out of populations altogether and kind of cleans up the rest of the vulnerability," Mussman said.
Kroger Health Chief Nursing Officer Meggen Brown said Kroger clinics across the region offer vaccines seven days a week, but interest has waned.
"In 2023 we saw the lowest vaccination rates that we've seen in 10 years," Brown said.
Mussman said there are several reasons someone may remain unvaccinated.
For chickenpox, for example, the doctor said many outside of the United States wouldn't have been offered a vaccine as part of the standard regimen and now may not know their vaccine status.
Others may be trying to avoid short-term vaccine side effects.
"You do have an immune response which causes you to have a low-grade fever, etc. but, that's normally just 24 hours," Brown said, "where you're looking at getting a chicken pox or mumps could leave you hospitalized."
Both Brown and Mussman said a relatively new and growing problem has been misinformation about the effects of vaccines.
The pair said it's important to have conversations with relatives or close friends about the benefits of vaccinations.
"I always say go to someone that you trust," Brown said.
Cost also plays a significant factor in vaccine acceptance.
Brown said Kroger clinics accept Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance, with more information available on Kroger's website.
The health department urged anyone concerned about the cost of vaccines, especially in lower-income brackets, to call the department for programs helping with free or low-cost vaccines.
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