Have questions about measles? We're here to help.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world.

In fact, 9 out of 10 people exposed to measles will catch it, too, if they are unvaccinated, have not had the disease before, or have a problem with their immune system. Even very brief exposure to an infected person in a shared space poses high risk for non-immune people.

People with measles are contagious before they know they are sick. An infected person can spread measles for four days before a rash forms. After a rash forms, the infected person remains contagious for another four days.

It’s important for someone with measles to stay home (including from school, child care, etc) until they’re no longer contagious. If you have measles, your doctor can advise you on when it is safe to return to your normal activities.

Measles spreads from person-to-person when an infected person coughs, talks, or sneezes.

The measles virus can live for up to two hours on surfaces or suspended in the air. If you breathe in contaminated air — or if you touch contaminated surfaces before touching your nose, eyes, or mouth — you can become infected.

Measles is extremely contagious. If you are not immune to measles (ie: if you’re unvaccinated and also haven’t had measles before) even briefly coming into contact with an infected person can put you at risk of getting infected, too.

Measles symptoms typically appear 7-14 days after coming into contact with the virus. They include:

• High fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red, watery eyes
  
• A rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body
• White spots inside the mouth (Koplik spots)

Having measles can cause further complications, including ear infections, pneumonia, or brain swelling. In the US, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles is hospitalized.

Call your healthcare provider immediately if you think you or your child have been exposed to measles, especially if you or your child have health conditions that put you at higher risk. Your doctor can confirm your immunity and advise you on your next steps.

If you are unvaccinated or otherwise at high risk of serious illness, it’s especially important to seek help quickly. Your doctor may be able to administer measles antibodies (immunoglobulin) within 6 days of exposure to help prevent measles or lessen its severity.

Note: If you believe you may have (or were exposed to) measles, don’t just walk-in to a clinic! You can be contagious before you have symptoms. Call your provider ahead of time and describe your symptoms to avoid exposing anyone else.

There is no cure or specific treatment for measles — once you’re sick, the virus has to run its course. Instead, medical care focuses on managing symptoms and preventing complications, such as pneumonia.

No, Vitamin A does not prevent or cure measles. If your child does not have measles, you should not give vitamin A to your child in the hopes of preventing the disease.

So what’s the connection? During a measles infection, the virus depletes vitamin A in the body. If you have measles, your doctor may give you two doses of vitamin A 24 hours apart to address the vitamin A deficiency that measles can cause.

In other words: at the right dosage, vitamin A can be used to help prevent extra complications (vitamin A deficiency) in measles patients, but it doesn’t prevent or cure the measles infection itself.

It’s important to note that too much vitamin A is toxic and can lead to additional health problems. Too much vitamin A can cause nausea, vomiting, joint pain, blurry vision, and even liver damage. If you are pregnant, taking large amounts of vitamin A can cause birth defects.

Most Americans get plenty of vitamin A in their diets. If you’re concerned that you or your child may have a vitamin A deficiency, talk to your doctor or pediatrician. 

The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Even if your child can’t complete their vaccine series yet, just one dose of MMR is still 93% effective at preventing measles.

Breakthrough measles cases are possible but rare, and tend to be much milder. According to the CDC, 97% of confirmed measles cases this year impacted people who had never received an MMR vaccine.

Typically, children are first vaccinated against measles at 12 months of age. However, if there is an outbreak in your community or if you’re traveling internationally, babies as young as six months old can safely receive an early MMR vaccine for their protection. Talk to your pediatrician to discuss your child’s needs.

To help more families stay protected, Jackson County Public Health offers free and low-cost MMR vaccines for children and adults during our regular business hours, Monday through Friday (8am – 4pm). Make an appointment today.

For the latest information, visit the CDC’s measles page on their website. There, you’ll find a page tracking confirmed measles cases across the country as reported by state health departments. The data is updated every Friday.

If you are a fully vaccinated adult, you most likely do not need a measles booster.

According to the CDC, 97% of confirmed measles cases this year impacted people who had never received an MMR vaccine. Breakthrough measles cases are possible but rare, and tend to be much milder.

There are some adults who should consider getting a booster: older adults who were born after 1957 and vaccinated before 1968. One early version of the measles vaccine was made from an inactivated virus, which didn’t work particularly well. It was only available from 1963 to 1967.

If your vaccine records show that you received the inactivated vaccine (or an unknown type) before 1968, the CDC recommends getting at least one dose of the live attenuated vaccine.

If you’re unsure whether you’ve been vaccinated, you should first try to find your vaccination records. If you can’t find them, you can talk to your primary care provider or request your records from JCPH.

If you don’t have written documentation of getting the MMR vaccine, you should get vaccinated, especially if you’re traveling internationally.

The MMR vaccine is safe. There’s no harm in getting another dose even if you may already be immune to measles, mumps, or rubella.

It depends! There are a few ways to cover the cost of an MMR vaccine at our clinic:

#1 — (Free) Vaccines for Children Program

Jackson County Public Health takes part in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. If you are uninsured or under-insured, your children may be able to get no-cost vaccines at our clinic. The program helps families of eligible children who may not be able to afford or have access to vaccines.

#2 — Health Insurance

Most health insurance plans cover the cost of vaccines. However, you may want to check with your insurance provider to make sure JCPH is in-network.

You can find our current list of in-network insurance plans here.

Please note that we can not accept Medicare at this time. We recommend checking with your pharmacy first to see if the MMR vaccine is covered there.

#3 — Self-pay

We offer MMR vaccines as close to at-cost as possible for those who pay out-of-pocket. You can see our current price list here. 

If you need additional help (including with transportation), our Community Health Workers may be able to connect you to relevant resources near you. You can contact our team by calling (816) 447-0421 or emailing JACOHDCommunityHealth@uhkc.org today.