In recent weeks, the measles have become a rather popular yet greatly dreaded topic of discussion both in the media and the community due to a sudden outbreak in Disneyland.

Measles is, in its essence, a virus that thrives within certain tissues on the body. Though it is notorious for causing a full-body rash, a number of other symptoms do occur before and even after this.

When caught, there is a twenty-one day incubation period during which symptoms may manifest or may not, depending on whether or not a person has been vaccinated. Should symptoms begin, they occur as a fever, cough, runny nose, and/or red, watery eyes. Within the next few days, Koplik spots — small red and white dots — form a rash in the back of the throat. Not long after such symptoms develop, a separate rash begins to form and envelopes most of the epidermis.

Despite the power that the media gives measles, though, it is truly a virus just like any other.

“There’s really no treatment,” says OHS Nurse Debbie Rodrigues. “Take Tylenol, rest, drink a lot of fluids, and wait for it to subside on its own.”

So far in Maricopa County, no cases of measles have been reported. However, this does not guarantee that the virus will not spread; there are confirmed cases in Arizona.

Additionally and within the scope of OHS,  the upper classes in Theater and Dance went on a school-sponsored outing to Disneyland earlier in Feb. There is no cause for panic, as none of them have yet developed any symptoms of the measles virus.

Theater teacher Toni Foiramonti was tasked with chaperoning the trip and made sure to check the students’ vaccination status as well as supply them with hand sanitizer and precautionary face masks.

Officials everywhere stress the importance of hand washing and being vaccinated for certain diseases, though many are already vaccinated at a young age in the United States and have little to no cause for concern.