Laura Morris, MD<\/a>, a family medicine doctor at MU Health Care.<\/p>\n1. Measles Is One of the Most Contagious Viruses in the World<\/p>\n
Laura Morris, MD<\/p>\n
Measles is a virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. The virus can linger in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after a person with measles leaves the area. That means someone could enter the same room later and still be exposed.<\/p>\n
People can also spread measles before they realize they\u2019re sick. Someone with measles is contagious about five days before the rash appears and four days after. Health experts take measles seriously because it spreads so easily. Up to 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people who are exposed to the virus will become infected.<\/p>\n
While many people recover, Dr. Morris stresses that measles isn\u2019t just a rash: \u201cIt can cause serious complications, especially in infants and people with weakened immune systems.\u201d<\/p>\n
These complications include:<\/p>\n
PneumoniaBrain inflammation (encephalitis)Hearing lossLong-term weakening of the immune system2. Measles Symptoms Often Start Like a Cold<\/p>\n
Measles symptoms usually appear 7 to 14 days after exposure. Early symptoms often feel like a bad cold or flu, including:<\/p>\n
FeverCoughRunny noseRed or watery eyesSore throat<\/p>\n
After a few days, other signs may appear. These include small white spots inside the mouth called Koplik spots. A red or reddish-brown rash then develops. It usually begins near the hairline and spreads down the face and body. Fever may rise during this stage and can reach 104\u00b0F or higher.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt often starts like a bad cold,\u201d Dr. Morris says, \u201cbut if you see a combination of fever, cough and a spreading rash, you should call your doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. Call Ahead Before Seeking Care<\/p>\n
If you think you or your child may have measles, do not walk into a clinic, urgent care or emergency department without calling first.<\/p>\n
Measles spreads easily in waiting rooms and other shared spaces. Calling ahead allows health care teams to take steps to protect other patients.<\/p>\n
Staff may prepare a separate entrance or room so the virus does not spread to people who may be vulnerable, including babies or people with weakened immune systems.<\/p>\n
4. Most Adults Are Already Protected<\/p>\n
This is one of the most common questions people are asking right now. The good news is that most adults are already protected.<\/p>\n
You are likely protected if you:<\/p>\n
Received two doses of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella)Were born before 1957, when most people were exposed to measles during childhood and developed natural immunity<\/p>\n
Some adults may benefit from another dose. This may include people who:<\/p>\n
Were vaccinated before 1968, when an earlier version of the vaccine was usedAre unsure about their vaccination historyWork in health care or travel internationally<\/p>\n
Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide about 97% lifetime protection against measles.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost adults who received two doses of the MMR vaccine are protected for life. If you\u2019re unsure about your vaccination history, your doctor can help you decide whether another dose makes sense,\u201d said Dr. Morris.<\/p>\n
5. Vaccination Protects Children and the Community<\/p>\n
Children usually receive the MMR vaccine in two doses:<\/p>\n
First dose: 12-15 monthsSecond dose: 4-6 years<\/p>\n
In some situations, such as during an outbreak or after a known exposure, infants as young as 6 months may receive the vaccine. Parents should talk with their pediatrician if they have concerns about exposure.<\/p>\n
Vaccination protects more than just your child. It also helps protect babies who are too young to be vaccinated and people with health conditions that weaken their immune system.<\/p>\n
Preventing outbreaks depends on strong community vaccination rates. Health experts say about 95% of people need to be vaccinated to stop measles from spreading widely.<\/p>\n
\u201cMissouri\u2019s current vaccination rate is around 90%,\u201d says Dr. Morris, \u201cwhich is below that threshold.\u201d<\/p>\n
When vaccination rates drop, measles can spread more easily through communities.<\/p>\n
6. There Is No Treatment for Measles<\/p>\n
Many people are surprised to learn that there is no antiviral medication that treats measles.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike illnesses like the flu or COVID-19, there isn\u2019t a medication that can stop measles once you have it,\u201d said Dr. Morris.<\/p>\n
Care focuses on supportive measures, such as:<\/p>\n
Drinking fluidsControlling feverRestMonitoring for complications<\/p>\n
Because of this, vaccination remains the most reliable way to prevent measles.<\/p>\n
7. Prevention Matters Most<\/p>\n
The best protection against measles is vaccination and awareness.<\/p>\n
You can help protect yourself and others by:<\/p>\n
Checking your vaccination recordsMaking sure children receive their recommended MMR dosesCalling your doctor if you think you may have been exposedStaying home if you are sick<\/p>\n
Measles is still rare in the United States, but outbreaks can occur when vaccination rates fall. Staying informed and keeping vaccinations up to date can help protect your family and your community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best protection against measles is making sure you and your children are vaccinated,\u201d says Dr. Morris.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For many years, measles was rare in the United States. But vaccination rates have dropped in some communities,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":379052,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[103,61,60],"class_list":{"0":"post-379051","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379051\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}