In 2000, measles was declared eliminated in the US — so why are some states, including nearby Kansas, now having measles outbreaks?
The answer isn’t a mystery: fewer kids are getting vaccinated against measles.
When at least 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, that community has herd immunity, meaning that diseases like measles can’t spread very far because so many people are immune. This helps protect unvaccinated people from getting sick, too. For decades, high childhood vaccination rates across the US have helped prevent measles outbreaks, but in some places that’s started to change.
We can see this in the ongoing measles outbreak in West Texas — the state’s worst in nearly 30 years — where local kindergarten vaccination rates are as low as 82%, far below the herd immunity threshold of 95%. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the outbreak now has grown to more than 450 measles cases across Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, with 43 patients hospitalized. Sadly, unvaccinated teens and children have been the ones most affected by this outbreak, and one young child has died.
Closer to home, Missouri recently reported its first case of measles from a child with unknown vaccination status who had traveled internationally. And across state lines, this year the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported its first case of measles since 2018. Just two weeks later, that single case grew to 23 cases across southwest Kansas — possibly also linked to the Texas outbreak.
With cases on the rise, it’s more important than ever to know the facts. Measles isn’t just a bad rash: this disease can lead to serious complications like pneumonia or brain swelling, with young children at highest risk. It’s also extremely contagious. In places where no one is vaccinated, one person with measles can infect up to 18 other people over the course of their sickness, and each of those people can infect another 18 — and suddenly a single case turns into an outbreak.
The good news? We have a safe, effective solution: the MMR vaccine, which was key to eliminating measles outbreaks in the US. It’s been protecting kids (and parents, and grandparents) since the 70s: today, almost everyone who gets measles is unvaccinated.
What You Need to Know
Signs & Spread
- Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours.
- Measles symptoms appear 7-14 days after contact with the virus:
- High fever (may spike to more than 104°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- Rash
- Koplik spots (small, white spots on the inside of the cheeks)
.
Exposure, Treatment, & Prevention
- 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. If needed, your doctor can administer measles antibodies (immunoglobulin) within 6 days of exposure to help prevent measles or lessen its severity.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 travelling 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.
- 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 hadn’t received an MMR vaccine.
- If you are a fully vaccinated adult, you most likely do not need a measles booster. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your specific health needs.
