Measles

Measles is a highly contagious virus and can be especially dangerous for babies and young children. Children younger than 5 years old, adults older than 20 years old, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals are at high risk for complications from measles.

Common complications include ear infections and diarrhea. Severe complications include pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain, which may lead to deafness and intellectual disability in young children), pregnancy complications (premature birth or low-birth-weight), hospitalization (1 in 5 people), and death from respiratory and neurological complications.

How Measles Spreads: Measles spreads through air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can stay in the air for up to 2 hours after an infected person was there!

Symptoms of Measles:

• Initially: high fever, cough, runny nose, and red/watery eyes.
• 2-3 days after initial symptoms begin, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth.
• 3-5 days after initial symptoms begin, a rash (flat red spots that may evolve to have small red bumps on top) will break out starting at the hairline on the head and will then travel down the body.

Measles is highly contagious!

You can become infected with measles simply by being in a room with an infected person or being in a room where an infected person was for up to 2 hours after they’ve left! If one person has measles, 9 out of 10 people around that person will also become infected if they are not protected (from vaccination or prior infection).

Measles is preventable!

Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles and one dose is 93% effective! This vaccine also protects against mumps and rubella.

Schedule for MMR Vaccine if you are traveling:

Check to make sure you and your child are vaccinated by contacting your healthcare provider. For questions about measles and the MMR vaccine, please call the East Hartford Health Department to talk with a public health nurse (860-291-7324).

Most insurances cover the cost of the MMR vaccine. If uninsured or your insurance does not cover the cost of vaccines for your child, your child may be able to get no-cost vaccines through CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. Please contact your child's healthcare provider to see if your child is eligible.

Additional resources about measles and vaccination:

CDC- Measles

CDC- Plan for Travel, Measles

Vaccines for Children (VFC): Information for Parents | CDC