What to Do if Measles Are Reported in Your Area

The U.S. recently reached a sobering statistic: There have been more measles cases this year than in any other year since the virus was declared eliminated in the nation in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some 1,288 confirmed U.S. cases of measles have been recorded in 2025, with 92% of cases occurring in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. Cases have been reported in 38 states, including Texas.

Measles is highly contagious (easily passed from person to person), so it's naturally concerning if cases are reported in your area or if you have been exposed. As more high-profile, high-traffic exposures occur across the country at airports, tourist destinations and even grocery stores and gas stations, it's important to know how to stay safe.

We spoke with Dr. Wesley Long, medical director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist, about what you should know (and do) if there's a measles case reported near you.

How does measles spread, and just how contagious is it?

"Measles is a virus that spreads by respiratory droplets, through nasal secretions or coughing," Dr. Long says. "It spreads very easily in the air, and it tends to remain airborne for many hours, even after an infected person has left a room. People who are susceptible or unvaccinated could walk into that room and be infected hours after the infected individual left."

Compare measles' contagiousness to that of the flu. If one person with the flu walked into a room of 100 unvaccinated people, one or two people would become infected. But if one person with measles walked into a room of 100 unvaccinated people, 16 to 18 people would become infected.

"After someone is infected, they will start spreading measles before they ever have symptoms, like a runny nose or redness in the eyes," Dr. Long says. "The rash is usually one of the last symptoms to appear, so someone will spread the condition for days without knowing. Measles is just incredibly contagious, especially in an unvaccinated population or group."

Who should be concerned about a measles outbreak near them?

"The people who primarily need to be concerned about measles are people who are unvaccinated, people who are immunosuppressed and people who may be pregnant because measles can threaten the life and the health of an unborn infant," Dr. Long says.

This also includes children who haven't received their first dose of the MMR vaccine. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) or the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine for children. The timing for the first dose should occur between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second dose should be received at 4 to 6 years old.

"In the first year of life, all children are unvaccinated for measles and highly susceptible," Dr. Long says. "After that first shot, they have some protection. But they don't usually reach the full protection until they get that second shot."

Dr. Long says concerned parents of children who have not yet received the second shot could discuss moving that second shot earlier, especially if there is a local outbreak.

It's long been thought that vaccinated mothers pass along some amount of immunity to the condition to their babies in the womb. But this passive immunity doesn't last as long as once thought — a 2019 study in the journal Pediatrics shows that by 3 months of age, 92% of newborns no longer had high enough antibody levels to protect against a measles infection. By six months of age, 100% were vulnerable.

"If a mother has been vaccinated, there is some passive immunity provided to the infant in utero, and then after birth, if the mother is breastfeeding, there may be some additional passive immunity," Dr. Long says. "But, in general, that passive immunity is not as strong as the immunity provided by vaccinations, and that infant may still be at risk of contracting measles, so it's something for people to be aware of and be cautious about."

What to do if you have a measles exposure or an outbreak is reported in your area

How you approach the news of an exposure or outbreak will largely depend on factors unique to you, including your vaccination status, age and current health.

1. You're vaccinated (and have proof)

If you were born after 1989 and have medical records showing you've received two doses of the live-attenuated MMR vaccine (more on this later): you are likely good to go. You will have no action to take after a potential exposure or hearing about an outbreak.

"If you have been fully vaccinated, you are not immunocompromised and you're in a situation where you were in public and heard later you could have been exposed, you'll want to be aware of the symptoms — runny nose, red eyes, a rash — just in case," Dr. Long says. "But in general, if you're a healthy adult and you've been vaccinated, you don't have a lot to worry about."

That's because the MMR vaccine can help prevent infection from occurring. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when someone receives two doses. However, it's still possible to get measles if you're vaccinated and exposed to the condition.

"Everyone's immune system is different. Some people don't necessarily mount a good, long-lasting protective response against measles after vaccination — remember it's 97% effective after two doses, or they may become immunocompromised," Dr. Long says. "This is why we rely on herd immunity. If you have a very high level of community immunization, those few people who don't make a good immune response are still protected because it's not circulating in their community."

However, if a vaccinated person gets the measles, Dr. Long says their symptoms are generally milder, and they are less likely to spread the condition to others. Plus, vaccination protects against the serious complications that can come with a measles infection, including pneumonia, brain swelling, hospitalization or even death.

2. You're unsure of your vaccination status

If you're old enough that your vaccination records were on paper (!) and filed away in a long-forgotten drawer at your parent's house or thrown away long ago, you may want to do a little digging.

Why? First, a brief history of the measles vaccine. The first measles vaccine began testing in 1958, and by March 1963, two measles vaccines were approved for use in the U.S.

"When the vaccine was first approved, there was an inactivated vaccine that was used and then a live-attenuated vaccine became available," Dr. Long says. "It was discovered that the inactivated vaccine only provided short-term immunity to measles. So very shortly after it was introduced, that vaccine was removed from the market with preference given to the live-attenuated vaccine, which gave longer-lasting immunity."

The inactive vaccine was widely used between 1963 and 1967; then in 1968, a single dose of the live-attenuated virus became part of the AAP's recommended vaccine schedule.

It wasn't until the 1980-1981 school year that all 50 states adopted vaccination requirements into law for children starting kindergarten. And 1989 saw larger measles outbreaks occurring in vaccinated populations, leading to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) coming together to recommend the two-dose schedule, which remains the current gold standard.

What you should do (and look for in your important documents) likely comes down to when you were born, the state where you grew up, and what records you have:

• Before 1957: Measles outbreaks occurred frequently during your childhood, and you likely received immunity through an active infection or exposure. However, if you are at a high risk of exposure (such as health care workers), getting the MMR vaccine is still recommended.
• 1963-1968: If you have vaccination records showing a single dose, but it's unclear if it was a live vaccine or not, you may want to talk to your doctor about getting two doses of the current MMR vaccine.
• 1969-1989: If your vaccination records only show one dose, it is effective — but to get to 97% immunity, you should consider getting a second dose of MMR. This is especially true if you have a higher risk of exposure, including working in health care or traveling internationally.

If your immunization records are long gone, and you're unsure of your vaccination status, Dr. Long recommends getting two doses of the MMR if you qualify (more on that below) just to be safe.

"If you are someone who doesn't know if you're vaccinated, don't remember when it was or don't know what type of vaccine it was — it's recommended to get two doses of the current live-attenuated MMR vaccine if you are otherwise healthy and eligible," Dr. Long says. "It's generally not required to get an antibody test. That's an extra step and an extra expense that's not really necessary. It's completely safe to just go ahead and get the MMR vaccine now if you are healthy and eligible to receive a live attenuated vaccine. You can discuss this with your doctor."

Knowing your vaccination status ahead of time can help you be proactive before an outbreak even occurs — or help you to act quickly in case of an exposure.

"You can actually receive the MMR vaccine up to 72 hours after an exposure, if you're able and eligible to be vaccinated," Dr. Long says. "And so that's something you can do to help protect yourself and help lessen the severity of the illness if you do in fact wind up having contracted measles from an exposure."

3. You're pregnant or immunocompromised

Certain populations, including pregnant women or immunocompromised individuals, are not eligible to receive a live-attenuated vaccine due to the risk of contracting an infection from the live, weakened virus in the vaccine. Other individuals who shouldn't get the measles vaccine include anyone who had a severe allergic reaction to a previous MMR dose or know they are allergic to any component of the vaccine. Additionally, if someone recently received another live-attenuated vaccine, there are recommendations for spacing those vaccines out, according to Dr. Long.

If you're ineligible for an MMR vaccine and have an exposure to measles, there are still measures you can take.

"If a pregnant woman or immunocompromised person has been exposed and is not immune from prior vaccinations, they should talk to their health care provider," Dr. Long says. "There is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy — essentially antibody therapy — that can be given when someone's had a particularly high-risk exposure that can help protect them from a severe measles infection."

How serious should you take a measles outbreak in your area? Can you prevent the measles?

Large measles outbreaks have been rare in the U.S. since the introduction of the two-dose vaccination recommendation in the late 1980s. In fact, measles was declared nonendemic in the U.S. in 2000. Because of successful vaccinations, most people alive in the U.S. today have little to no familiarity with the condition — many doctors had never seen a case of measles outside of a textbook until relatively recently.

"I think many people think of measles as only a rash with upper respiratory symptoms, but before we had the vaccine, about 1 in 5 children who got measles would have pneumonia, many of whom would have to be hospitalized," Dr. Long says. "There are neurological conditions that can arise from measles infection, some of which are short-term and some of which can be lifelong and very debilitating. Some may not arise until years after the primary infection. A measles infection in a pregnant woman can cause serious problems for developing fetuses, and measles can kill previously healthy children.

It is not just a rash and a mild cold. Measles can cause lifelong consequences, and I think it's definitely worth avoiding the risk, especially when we have a safe and effective vaccine."

Dr. Long emphasizes being a good skeptic of your own health when viewing content from nonmedical providers, especially those that may be selling supplements.

"You may see things on social media, such as people promoting taking vitamin A as a vaccination alternative or dietary supplement for measles prevention, but it cannot prevent or treat measles," says Dr. Long.

Dr. Long adds that vitamin A can have a limited use in developing countries, where children who are vitamin A deficient may benefit from supplementation if they're infected. But he notes that vitamin A deficiency is incredibly rare in the U.S.

"Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning our bodies do not easily eliminate excess, and it can build up in the body," adds Dr. Long. "Taking high dosages can lead to toxicity that can cause liver damage and other negative health consequences. The only effective way to prevent measles infection is the MMR vaccine."