A measles outbreak in one of Florida’s largest public school systems underscores the need for better indoor air quality monitoring in aging public school buildings.

Two new cases over the weekend added to the growing measles outbreak at Manatee Bay Elementary School in Broward County, escalating concerns over the spread of infectious diseases. The outbreak, beginning with a confirmed case in a third-grade student who had not traveled, quickly compounded, alarming local officials that a public health crisis was in the making.

And Florida isn’t alone. Other states face similar challenges. Pennsylvania reported an even larger measles outbreak at a Philadelphia daycare center, forcing school administrators across the nation to re-examine their detection and mitigation strategies.

In Broward, the school district reiterated its commitment to the health, safety, and welfare of its students and staff, working in tandem with the Florida Department of Health-Broward to manage the situation. But experts warned that without proactive monitoring in place, the outbreak is likely to grow undetected. Dr. Pallavi Aneja, an internal medicine specialist, warned that the number of unvaccinated children, particularly the immune-compromised, would likely result in an increase in the overall measles infection rate.

With Manatee Bay Elementary’s unvaccinated rate sitting at more than 10 percent amidst an enrollment of 1,067 students, the student population vulnerable to infection is stark. Religious exemptions can easily be invoked to avoid detection, and rising numbers of undocumented migrants, most of whom have not received required vaccinations, culminate in a high risk factor. Measles, like the COVID-19 virus, spreads via respiratory droplets and begins with symptoms that are often dismissed as a minor cold or flu, complicating early detection efforts.

One strategy expert says that improving indoor air quality monitoring in public schools, many of which have other existing and growing air quality problems, including mold and noxious chemicals, is necessary to mitigate the ongoing spread of disease. In 2010, the air quality got so bad in Broward County schools that a jury ordered the school district to take direct action to combat a potentially toxic mold problem.

Research has shown that indoor air quality monitoring significantly reduces exposure to infectious particles, a fact that begs the question: with so much attention on school spending and student health and safety, should there be more legislative momentum towards mandating such measures in schools?

As the legislature wraps up the 2024 Session, the time to address the issue is growing short. Monitoring air quality in schools is a cost-effective preventative measure that could serve as a linchpin in our efforts to not only detect but also mitigate the spread of infectious diseases like measles and other respiratory problems.