Measles Vaccinations Required For Toms River's Summer Camp

TOMS RIVER, NJ — If you're planning to send your child to Toms River's township-run camp this summer, the town has a new requirement.

All children attending the camp must provide proof that they've been vaccinated against measles.

The requirement comes in the wake of months of measles outbreaks across the country, include two outbreaks in Ocean County; nearly 1,000 cases have been reported in the United States since Jan. 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control. As of May 31, 981 cases of measles have been confirmed, the federal agency said. It is the most cases reported in the U.S. since 1992 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000, the CDC said.

While the Ocean County outbreaks have been less severe than those in New York, where schools were shut down, and Washington State, where there have been 10 separate wide-scale outbreaks, the concern has been enough to prompt the requirement.

Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher said the township's requirement was prompted by the ongoing concerns about the outbreaks. Ocean County's most recent outbreak, which sickened 12 people (eight in Ocean and four in Monmouth County who had a direct tie to the Ocean cases) was declared over May 16, according to the state Department of Health. But officials are still wary, and Kelaher said they are taking a cue from New York, which instituted a similar requirement for summer campers.

"The recreation department has a program that enrolls approximately 6oo youngsters, and our Youth Services folks have a program that enrolls about 200 or so youngsters," Kelaher said.

He acknowledged that parents feel strongly about not innoculating children. "They have a right to feel that way," he said. "But that right is subordinate to our requirement to take care of ... approximately 800 children."

Toms River isn't the only town requiring summer camp participants to be vaccinated; Lakewood's summer camp registration includes a requirement for parents to certify that their children are vaccinated not only for measles but for mumps, rubella, diptheria and pertussis.

Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Toms River Patch on Facebook.