Author: Will Humble

Guest Blog by AzPHA Former AZPHA President Kelli Donley Williams

In early June, one of public health’s most dreaded headline’s hit the news: a local child was hospitalized with measles. Quick behind the scenes actions by a heroic team at the Navajo County Public Health Services District kept this news from becoming a statewide nightmare.

Cathy Solomon, MPH, RN, who serves as the district’s clinical services division manager and nurse epidemiologist, said a toddler who had recently traveled with family to Mexico, was transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for further care after being treated at a local hospital. At PCH, the child tested positive for measles. With this news, an epidemiologist from ADHS reached out to notify Cathy’s team, who then jumped into action to protect their community.   

“Upon notification, our communicable disease team launched a full investigation. We initiated contact tracing and began assessing potential exposure locations and individuals,” Cathy said. “We provided public health guidance and strongly recommended isolation for anyone identified as having been potentially exposed during the infectious period. Coordination between our department, ADHS, and healthcare providers was key to ensuring accurate risk assessment and containment of potential secondary cases.”

How was the team able to keep the infectious disease from spreading?

“Fortunately, the family played a significant role in limiting further exposure,” she describes.  “Upon returning from their international travel, they were already aware of their potential exposure to measles and chose to self-isolate as a precautionary measure. They refrained from attending public gatherings or visiting shared spaces.

All essential items such as groceries were delivered to their home. The only public setting visited during the infectious period was an urgent care facility, and that visit was for an ear infection after the rash had resolved. This limited movement significantly reduced the risk of broader community transmission and allowed us to focus our investigation on a very narrow scope of potential contacts.”

How did Cathy and the team communicate to Navajo County citizens about measles?

“In response to the confirmed case, we issued a public service announcement through multiple channels, including our official website, social media platforms, and local print media,” she said.

“Our messaging emphasized the importance of MMR vaccination, symptoms of measles, what to do if exposed, and the measures being taken to prevent further spread. To enhance community understanding, we also produced and distributed a short educational video featuring a local pediatrician and our medical director. This video provided a reassuring and informed voice to the public and encouraged vaccination and vigilance.”

Although the team did see a modest increase in the number of individuals seeking MMR vaccine in the two weeks immediately following the campaign, Cathy said the increase was lower than anticipated considering the severity of the disease and risk of outbreak.

“This highlights the ongoing challenges we face in vaccine hesitancy and the need for sustained, proactive community education and engagement efforts beyond outbreak-related events.”

What would she recommend to other health departments who may face similar situations?

• Early and transparent communication with state health authorities enabled rapid coordination and response.
• Proactive self-isolation by the affected family, though voluntary, was highly effective and underscores the value of public awareness and education.
• Targeted messaging that featured trusted local medical professionals helped lend credibility and accessibility to our public health information.
• Internal preparedness, including having a trained communicable disease team, standardized investigation protocols, and partnerships with local media and emergency management teams, allowed for an efficient and comprehensive public health response.
  We also recommend maintaining updated community contact lists and relationships with healthcare providers to expedite communication and coordination when time is critical.

When asked who we could thank for this incredible community public health work, Cathy didn’t hesitate:

“I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Maggie Riesop, our dedicated infectious disease nurse, who led the case investigation, performed the contact tracing, and coordinated follow-up communications with those potentially exposed.

Her thoroughness and professionalism were key to containing the incident. I would also like to thank our Emergency Management Public Information Officer (PIO) team for their swift and effective development and dissemination of public messaging, which helped keep our community informed and supported during the response.”

Bravo to all in Navajo County, at Phoenix Children’s, ADHS, and otherwise who flexed their public health muscles during this stressful time. We are thankful for your coordination, late nights, and partnership. Arizona is a healthier place because of your work!

Do you have a public health hero or program you’d like to highlight? Email details to: kellidonley@gmail.com