You have probably recently appeared measles in your news feed – hopefully this is the only place you see it – because cases were on the advance.
So far, more than 1,300 measles cases have been reported this year – the most of the illness that has been officially broadcast from the United States 25 years ago. (Eliminated meaning, there was no continuous spread of diseases within the country for one year and there were new cases of people who got abroad.)
Thanks to the strong vaccination program in America, most of us got the vaccine in measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and have not thought about measles for years. Or always. But measles is a serious illness.
Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, millions of people – mainly children – were infected with measles every year. And some complications can be serious.
So what’s going on with the increase in measles cases?
Although measles are avoidable when you receive the vaccine, the investigations show that vaccination rates for children from 95% in 2019 went back to 92% in 2023. Deford rates mean that more people are susceptible to the virus. And because measles spreads so quickly, it is difficult to contain in non -vaccinated communities.
In addition, measles cases occur every year in the United States when not vaccinated travelers bring the virus into the country. Given the unpredictability of where and when the virus can begin and spread, vaccination is really the only way to protect your health and health of others.
What is measles?
Measles are a disease caused by a virus that penetrates into the mucus in the nose and neck. It spreads through the air when someone coughs or sneezes with measles.
The virus can live in a room for up to two hours in which an infected person was – they don’t even have to be in the room. (We know – Yikes!) And if they are infected, up to 9 out of 10 people near you will also receive measles if they have not been vaccinated for the disease.
Measles symptoms
Infection symptoms usually do not start seven to 14 days after exposure to the virus, which can carry out early diagnosis and stop the spread of measles to a challenge.
Signs of measles develop in phases.
People can occur during the first symptoms:
- Running nose
- Cough
- Aqueous and/or red eyes
- High fever (can be up to 105 ℉)
Two to three days after the beginning of the initial symptoms, small white spots that are called Koplik spots can occur in their mouth.
The most common symptom, the measles rash, occurs three to five days after the first round of symptoms.
How do measles look?
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A measles rash usually begins as flat red spots on the forehead near the hairline. Small bumps can also form on the red spots, and the rash can spread to body and feet in large connected swaths.
Depending on the skin tone, measles rash can also be different red, brown or purple shades.
Is measles fatal?
Measles can be fatal. The disease can cause life -threatening complications, including the swelling of the brain and pneumonia.
So far, three people in the United States have died of measles in 2025. The investigations show that 1 to 3 people of 1,000 in whom the disease was diagnosed die from measles.
People who get measles can also develop subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) – a fatal disease that affects the central nervous system that is like command for your body and consists of brain and spinal cord.
Anyone who is not vaccinated is at risk, and children under 5 years, pregnant women, adults over 20 years and people with impaired immune systems have more serious complications from measles.
Can adults get the measles vaccine?
If you have not received the vaccine as a child, you can still get the recommended two-dose MMR vaccine. Simply keep the cans apart at least 28 days.
And if you don’t know if you got the vaccine when you were younger, you request your medical documents. If you are still not sure, an additional dose of the vaccine does not harm – better safe than measles, we say.
You can also request a blood test from your health service provider (HCP) to find out whether you are immune to measles.
Should adults get a measles booster shot?
The MMR vaccine is durable and should protect it in your life. However, some people may want to consider being vaccinated again.
People born before 1989 received only one dose of the vaccine. This means that they rock about 93% protection. Getting the second dose – two doses are the recommendation today – increases protection to 97%.
People who were vaccinated with an unknown measles vaccine or inactivated measles vaccines before 1968 should also be vaccinated with at least one dose. This is because the vaccine used before 1968 was not effective.
Also easy to note:
- If you have an increased risk of mumps, an additional dose of the MMR vaccine may be necessary, but a person in public healthcare will reach you and let you know whether this is the case.
- You can still get the vaccine if you have been exposed to measles in the past.
Clock: Common diseases and their vaccines >>
Who shouldn’t get the measles vaccine?
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective, but there are some people who shouldn’t get the vaccine – or should wait to get it.
Talk to your HCP when you:
- Had an allergic reaction to an earlier dose of the vaccine or have life -threatening allergies
- Have a weakened immune system due to health or medical treatment
- Have a family history of immune problems
- Have a state of health or have in the past when you are easy to blue or bleed
- Had a blood transfusion
- Have received other vaccines in the past four weeks
- Have a story of seizures or an immediate family history of seizures
- Take aspirin or other salicylates
Note for people who want to get pregnant: You should receive the vaccine at least one month before pregnancy and/or wait until you are no longer pregnant to get the vaccine.
Read: 10 Adult vaccines should >> get >>
Stay up to date with outbursts
The CDC updates the website every Wednesday with the latest measles cases and outbreaks. If they have not been vaccinated, it is not too late. Talk to your health service provider about your options to keep measles in chess.
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