WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health officials are urging residents who visited three pharmacies in Kennett Square and West Grove on October 4 to verify their measles immunity after a contagious individual entered the businesses, creating a potential exposure risk for customers and employees.
The Chester County Health Department identified two CVS locations and a Giant pharmacy as potential exposure sites. The individual was contagious while visiting the establishments Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The potential exposure locations and times were:
- CVS, 870 Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square: 10:45 AM to 3:00 PM.
- CVS, 857 West Baltimore Pike, West Grove: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM.
- Giant, 849 Baltimore Pike, West Grove: 1:00 PM to 3:45 PM.
Health officials are advising anyone who was at those locations during the specified periods to determine whether they are protected against measles.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that can spread when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an enclosed space.
The Health Department considers individuals generally protected if they were born before 1957, previously had measles or received at least one dose of a measles-containing vaccine, typically the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
People who meet those criteria generally do not need to take additional action following the potential exposure.
Residents who are not immune, are uncertain about their vaccination history, are immunocompromised, are pregnant without immunity or have infants should contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
The department is particularly concerned about people who lack immunity because measles can spread before an infected individual develops the characteristic rash.
Early symptoms include fever, a runny nose, coughing and red, watery eyes. A rash typically develops afterward, beginning on the head.
People who may have been exposed and subsequently develop symptoms should contact their healthcare provider immediately and disclose the potential measles exposure.
Health officials advise against entering a medical office, urgent care center or other healthcare facility without calling ahead, because an infected patient could expose others.
Measles can cause serious complications, including pneumonia, brain infection and death.
An infected person can transmit the virus from four days before a rash appears until four days afterward.
The Health Department recommends that people who are not immune and may have been exposed wear a mask in indoor public spaces and around unvaccinated individuals for three weeks following exposure.
That precaution is intended to reduce the possibility of transmitting measles to vulnerable individuals before symptoms become apparent.
Vaccination remains the principal protection against measles. The MMR vaccine is routinely recommended in two doses, with the first administered at 12 to 15 months of age and the second at ages 4 to 6.
Infants younger than 12 months are not routinely eligible for the standard first dose and may be particularly vulnerable to infection.
The Health Department also advises an early MMR dose, referred to as dose zero, for infants between 6 and 11 months of age.
The possible exposures occurred at businesses serving customers in southern Chester County, making it important for individuals who visited the identified locations to review their vaccination status and monitor for symptoms.
Additional information about measles, immunity and exposure precautions is available through the Chester County Health Department at www.chesco.org/measles.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.