According to reports, Dallas County health director Zach Thompson said all the students diagnosed with the disease have had the standard two doses of the childhood mumps vaccine.
"We may be dealing with the fact that the vaccine has waned and we will be dealing with a third dose recommendation in the future," Thompson has said. He also noted that people whose children travel overseas or people who prefer not to receive a vaccine might be at increased risk of spreading the infection.
Cedar Hill Independent School District, in conjunction with Dallas County Health and Human Services, is currently offering a booster shot or third round of mumps, measles and rubella vaccine. The Health and Human Services Department has also issued an advisory on what to do if a case of mumps is suspected, which includes the admonition to stay home from school, wash thoroughly and seek medical care.
The disease can spread through the air to about six feet from an infected person or through direct contact with their saliva. A case of the mumps is usually accompanied by fever, aches and fatigue. There is no known cure for the disease, doctors say. However, most people recover from mumps completely in a few weeks.
