Oxford Area High School Closed After Confirmed Measles Case Amid Pennsylvania Outbreak

Oxford Area High School in Chester County was closed on Friday after the district was notified of a confirmed measles case in the community. Under county policy, any unvaccinated students or staff must quarantine at home for 21 days. The health department ordered the school to confirm the vaccination status of its employees, prompting the closure to complete the verification process, a county spokesperson said.

Superintendent David Woods told parents that the district is working with public-health officials to protect the school community and will keep families informed. The district has not disclosed whether the positive case involved a student, staff member or another individual, and it has not confirmed when the school will reopen or if planned homecoming events will be canceled.

Chester County health officials will contact anyone who may have been exposed and provide guidance. The county, which has reported 86 measles cases this year, is the only area in the Philadelphia region where the virus is still circulating. Pennsylvania’s outbreak, centered in Lancaster County, has infected more than 1,000 people, resulted in five deaths and required hospitalization for about one-fifth of those infected.

State law requires schools to track and report vaccine data for students but not for staff. Oxford’s 12th-grade cohort was reported fully vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella in the 2025-2026 school year, and the district’s middle school showed a 96.3% vaccination rate among seventh graders last year. Public-health officials note that about 95% vaccination coverage is needed to achieve herd immunity against measles.