The Pittsylvania-Danville and Southside health districts will host a measles outreach clinic Monday in Java.
Health department staff will answer questions and provide information about measles from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Riceville Java Fire Department, 3105 Java Road.
The clinic will also offer blood tests to check whether people have immunity to measles, according to an announcement on the health districts’ Facebook page. People who are not vaccinated or do not have immunity can receive the measles vaccine at the clinic.
Anyone who has completed the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine series — known as MMR — or was born before 1957 is considered protected against measles.
Costs for blood tests and vaccinations will vary based on insurance.
Pittsylvania County has reported two confirmed measles cases this year, including one in the past month, according to the Virginia Department of Health’s measles dashboard. Danville has not reported any confirmed cases.
Vaccination rates remain below the level public health officials generally recommend to prevent measles outbreaks. About 88% of 7-year-olds in Pittsylvania County had completed the vaccination series, according to the state’s vaccination dashboard. In Danville, 76% of 7-year-olds had completed the vaccination series.
Children typically receive the two-dose MMR series by age 4 to 6, before or during the early years of school. Virginia requires students to receive certain vaccines before attending public school, with exemptions available under state law.
Amid conflicting guidance at the federal level, the Virginia Department of Health and 30 other states and Washington, D.C., have reaffirmed their recommendation that children follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule.
People who are unsure whether they or their children have received the MMR vaccine should contact their health care provider or request immunization records through the Virginia Department of Health Record Request Portal.
