Countywide : Application Sent for Measles Funds

Orange County health officials Tuesday hurriedly met the deadline for applying for state funds to try to limit the spread of a measles epidemic.

They sent their application early Tuesday for $150,000 in state funds to the state Department of Health Services’ immunization division in Berkeley. And, county public health director L. Rex Ehling said, “the state agrees the grant application is accepted.”

The county’s action resolved a mix-up that occurred late Monday when a state official said applications were supposed to be mailed Monday and were due in his office no later than Wednesday. Ehling, meanwhile, said he was told the county had until the end of April to apply.

An official with the state’s immunization services confirmed Tuesday that Orange County’s application was accepted and that it will compete with those of at least 16 other counties.

“I don’t see any problem. Orange County has done an excellent job” in preparing its submission, said John Danijski, assistant chief of California’s immunization program.

Danijski noted that that there was not enough money to fund every proposal, but he declined to say if Orange County was one of several counties asked to trim its grant request.

The new state funds come as California is experiencing the greatest outbreak of measles in more than a decade. So far this year, 1,800 people--204 in Orange County--have contracted measles and an additional 24, including two babies from Orange County, have died of complications from measles.

Public health officials like Ehling say the current outbreak of measles is “a great setback” in the effort to eradicate measles around the world.

Orange County officials are hoping the state funds will let them expand their immunization clinics by adding evening sessions, educate physicians about preventing measles exposures in their waiting rooms and continue to alert the public about the need for vaccinations.

Ehling last week declared a “state of emergency” in Orange County because of measles. That declaration was necessary for a county to be eligible for some of the $1.2-million appropriation. Although the County Board of Supervisors is not expected to consider the emergency declaration until April 24, state officials said they will accept Orange County’s application this week anyway.