Weve declared measles over in the United States twice, once in 2000 and once in 2016. Unfortunately, like a bad fashion trend or the killer in a slasher film, measles outbreaks keep coming back.
So far in 2024, weve had a rash of small measles outbreaks. Pennsylvania, Arizona, Washington, and most recently, Florida. Already, weve seen 41 cases in the U.S. in the first 2 months compared to 58 in all of 2023. 2024 is off to a rough start, and cases are likely to continue to spread.
When youve got kids too young to be fully vaccinated, any measles outbreak is scary. And given the speed at which measles can move, no amount of distance is far enough away. Its an even scarier situation for anyone with a newborn, or an immunocompromised loved one.
Many of us feel understandably helpless to defend ourselves and our loved ones against an outbreak. But knowing the facts is one way we can take power back. Heres everything you need to know to protect yourself and those you care about from measles from our infectious disease experts at UVA Health.
Contents
- 1 Should We Be Worried About Measles?
- 2 What Are Common Measles Complications?
- 3 Need to Schedule a Vaccine Appointment?
- 4 How Contagious Is the Measles?
- 5 So, Is This a Measles Outbreak?
- 6 How Do We Stop Measles Outbreaks?
- 7 My Child Has Only Had 1 Round of Vaccines; Should I Worry?
- 8 Ive Been Vaccinated, But It Was a Long Time Ago. Am I Still Safe?
- 9 How Can I Protect My Baby from Measles?
- 10 Wont Vaccinating My Child Too Early Hurt Them?
- 11 Why Dont We Just Vaccinate All 6-Month-Olds?
- 12 What If My Child Is Exposed to Measles?
- 13 What If My Child is Vaccinated but Is Also Immune-Compromised?
- 14 What If, Despite Trying Everything, My Child Still Gets Measles?
- 15 Be Cautious, Not Fearful
Should We Be Worried About Measles?
Yes. Because weve had vaccines, most of us havent seen anyone suffer with a sickness like measles.
Many people arent familiar with these diseases. They dont realize that measles can be fatal, says Emily Wong, MD, a pediatrician at UVA Health Childrens.
Despite older peoples nostalgia about measles parties, its a really nasty virus. Thats mostly because it comes with the risk of a lot of complications.
What Are Common Measles Complications?
Measles complications run the range from not a big deal to deadly. Heres a breakdown of the most common ones.
Assuming 1,000 people get measles:
- 200 will be hospitalized
- 100 will have ear infections, some resulting in lifelong hearing problems
- 100 will have severe diarrhea
- 50 kids will also get pneumonia
- 10 children with measles will go blind
- 1 will get brain swelling and damage
- 1 will die from respiratory complications
Its also hard on your immune system. That means even after recovery youll be more vulnerable to other illnesses, like RSV or flu, which can also be deadly.
Need to Schedule a Vaccine Appointment?
Your child’s pediatrician can help make sure they’re protected from measles.
How Contagious Is the Measles?
Measles has one of the highest attack rates of any infectious disease that we know of, says Sarah Boggs, MD, a UVA Health Childrens pediatrician. Its more contagious than the flu, smallpox, COVID-19, or chickenpox. What makes it so spreadable?
- The virus spreads through the air and can linger for up to 2 hours after an infected person leaves a space.
- If you arent vaccinated, you have a 90% chance of getting it if exposed. Just breathing the same air as an infected person is enough to be exposed.
- After exposure, you wont know whether youre in the clear for 21 days.
- Youre contagious for 4 days before you get a tell-tale rash.
So, Is This a Measles Outbreak?
Not yet. But weve got unvaccinated kids going to elementary school and parents sending exposed babies to daycare. An outbreak could happen anywhere. So, its a good time to be prepared.
In 2019, one of the worst years for measles outbreaks in the United States, we went from a few isolated cases to hundreds in very little time.
How Do We Stop Measles Outbreaks?
Vaccination is pretty much the only way to stop the spread of measles. Get yourself and your family vaccinated. Make sure only vaccinated people meet your children who are too young to be vaccinated.
While there are many risks from measles, there are very few from vaccination. For most people, all theyll experience is a mild fever and a little soreness.
There is a very, very small risk of an allergic reaction, Boggs says. But theyre incredibly rare.
But theres a lot of information out there and its easy to get confused. Boggs says shes always happy to talk with parents about vaccination fears.
I always encourage parents of patients to bring me the resources theyve read so we can review it together, she says.
My Child Has Only Had 1 Round of Vaccines; Should I Worry?
The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) is 93% effective with just 1 dose. Since most kids get these shots at their 1-year pediatrician visit, people with kids past infancy dont have a lot to be worried about.
Ive Been Vaccinated, But It Was a Long Time Ago. Am I Still Safe?
After age 5, when people get their 2nd MMR, most people have 97% immunity.
There are some exceptions:
- If you were born before 1957, you may not have immunity.
- If you were born between 1963-1967, its possible you got an early version of the vaccine. This one wasnt as effective.
If youre in either of these 2 groups and are concerned, make an appointment with your primary care provider. They can check your blood antibody levels (called tithers). If youre not immune, you can still get the MMR. And itll still be very effective.
How Can I Protect My Baby from Measles?
For babies younger than 1 year old, for whom measles can be the most devastating, there are options.
If youre in an area where its circulating, pediatricians will sometimes advise vaccinating children as young as 6 months. You should also get your childs MMR early if youre traveling internationally to a country with a higher number of yearly measles cases.
Wont Vaccinating My Child Too Early Hurt Them?
Infants are exposed to many germs in the environment starting at birth. And really, thats all vaccination is. Vaccines teach a babys immune system how to respond to germs they may encounter.
Vaccines schedules are based on when we know a babys immune system will respond best to the vaccine.
Why Dont We Just Vaccinate All 6-Month-Olds?
At 6 months, babies still have so many of moms measles antibodies transferred during the pregnancy that they usually dont mount a lasting response against measles. So, babies vaccinated at 6 months still need to get their 1-year and 5-year shots.
Basically, its a bonus shot that gives a little protection now. But it wont act as a substitute for the longer lasting immunity that the later vaccinations offer.
What If My Child Is Exposed to Measles?
The first thing to do is self-quarantine. People can be contagious long before they have symptoms. Then, call your healthcare provider. If your child hasnt been immunized but is older than 6 months, they may suggest getting the MMR. If given within 72 hours after exposure, the vaccine is effective.
What If My Child is Vaccinated but Is Also Immune-Compromised?
For children with serious conditions like cancer, their immune system may not be able to react the way it needs to. Even with the benefit of being vaccinated.
There are immune globulin treatments available for these patients that may help. These treatments are most effective when given within 6 days of exposure.
What If, Despite Trying Everything, My Child Still Gets Measles?
If your child gets measles, hopefully it will be a mild case. You and your family should stay home and offer standard comfort items. Call your doctor for correct dosing on fever reducing medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Offer your child warm foods that arent too rich. And oatmeal baths are a tried-and-true solution to an itchy rash that are ok at any age.
You do need to be on the lookout for common measles complications, though. For most children, the reason theyre hospitalized is a secondary pneumonia infection. This can cause serious breathing problems. If your child is showing any signs of not breathing well, call the hospital and arrange their stay.
Its very important to not simply show up at the hospital. There are waiting rooms of people who could give your child secondary infections or get measles from your child.
At the hospital, we can offer IV nutrition and respiratory support.
Be Cautious, Not Fearful
Having the information you need can help you understand when, and where, caution is warranted. Its healthy to have some anxiety about measles. Its a sometimes-fatal illness thats basically an apex predator in terms of infectability. But with a very effective vaccine and treatment options available, there are many ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.