With spring break and summer travel season approaching, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) encourages people to make sure they are protected against measles. Getting the MMR vaccine — for measles, mumps and rubella — is the most effective prevention tool against the highly contagious virus.
Twelve U.S. states, including California, Texas and New Mexico, have reported cases of measles since Jan 1. While Oregon has no cases so far in 2025, last year the state recorded 31 confirmed cases — its highest measles count in more than 30 years — during an outbreak among unvaccinated people, including two children younger than 5.
“Measles is an amazingly contagious virus that unfortunately in recent years has re-emerged in our communities, primarily due to a declining percentage of people who are getting vaccinated,” said Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA’s Public Health Division.
“Measles is a serious and potentially life-threatening infection for individuals who haven’t received immunity through the MMR vaccine,” said Dawn Nolt, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics (infectious diseases) in the OHSU School of Medicine.
“The good news is that we have a highly safe and effective vaccine – it is our strongest line of defense and the best way to keep yourself, your children and your community safe. If you have questions about the vaccine, we encourage you to talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns.” she said.
Cieslak said anyone planning travel to countries or states where measles is circulating should get the MMR vaccine before they go. “Getting the vaccine now will allow you to start building immunity prior to your trip,” he said.
Cieslak addresses common questions about measles, symptoms, the vaccine and more in this week’s Oregon Health News newsletter, published Thursday.
Symptoms
Measles typically starts with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. A rash usually follows, beginning on the face and spreading to the rest of the body.
Symptoms begin seven to 10 days after exposure to a person with measles. Common complications of measles include ear infection, lung infection and diarrhea. Swelling of the brain is a rare but much more serious complication.
About 20% of people who contract measles are hospitalized. In developed countries in recent years, one or two of every 1,000 measles cases have been fatal.
Measles spreads through the air after a person with measles coughs, sneezes, or even breathes. People who are infected can be unknowingly contagious for four days before a rash appears and up to four days afterward.
That means someone with measles can be unaware they are infected and can easily spread the virus before noticing any symptoms.
During the 2024 outbreak in Oregon, OHA worked with local public health officials to share information about specific locations where known measles cases had spent time so that members of the public were aware they may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus.
What families of school-age children should know
In addition to reducing risk of transmission, getting the vaccine can help families avoid having to isolate at home for several weeks if they are exposed to measles.
Additionally, state law requires an unvaccinated child exposed to the virus to be excluded from school or childcare during the period when they could become sick, which is usually for 21 days after exposure.
This exclusion period can be extended if there are more measles cases.
What people born before 1957 should know
People born before 1957 do not need to be vaccinated against measles—they are presumed to be immune.
That’s because, before the measles vaccine was first available to the public in 1963, virtually all children would contract measles by their teenage years, making them immune for life.
What people born in 1957 or later should know
People born in 1957 or later, however, could still benefit from the vaccine because they would have been at least 6 years old in 1963. At that age, there was still a meaningful chance they hadn’t been exposed to measles yet and could benefit from the new vaccine.
People who can document receiving the measles vaccine series at some point in their lives or have documentation showing a previous measles diagnosis or laboratory evidence of immunity can be confident they are immune and do not need to receive the MMR vaccine.
What anyone traveling should know
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following measles prevention measures for anyone traveling, especially internationally:
- Babies ages 6 through 11 months can receive an early dose of the vaccine to protect them for travel; but they should then receive another dose at 12 through 15 months and a final dose between ages 4 and 6.
- Children older than a year who have not been vaccinated should immediately receive one dose and follow with a second dose at least 28 days later.
- Children older than a year with one prior dose should receive an early second dose of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.
- Teenagers and adults previously vaccinated with one dose should consider getting a second dose if they are traveling to an area where measles is circulating.
- People preparing to travel internationally who have not been immunized should get the vaccine prior to departure.
More CDC recommendations can be found here.
In recent years, OHA has bolstered its tracking of communicable diseases, such as measles, with the development and modernization of data reporting tools, including an interactive, web-based dashboard that visualizes data on communicable disease incidence in Oregon. The dashboard’s data are disease, month, demographic group and county.
Increasing awareness and education about primary prevention, public health risks and preventive health services are among actions OHA is taking as part of its 2024–2027 Strategic Plan.
The plan further supports expanding access to vaccines and other health resources for children, parents and families in all communities in Oregon.
To learn more about measles and to receive daily status updates of measles outbreak data, visit OHA’s Measles and Rubeola web page.
Source: Oregon Health Authority
