4 Things to Know About the Measles and Vaccination

In 2018, there were 292 cases of measles from 16 outbreaks reported in 26 states in the United States. That’s twice the number from the previous year. There have also been a growing number of outbreaks in Europe, with the largest numbers of reported cases and deaths in Bulgaria, France, Germany, Romania, Spain, and Switzerland. In 2017, 14,451 cases of measles were reported in Europe, which is more than three times the number of cases the year before.

So why are measles outbreaks on the rise, even in places where the vaccine is readily accessible? People used to get measles all the time so so surely it can’t be that big of a deal to come down with measles, right? Am I safe as long as I’ve been vaccinated?

What are measles?

Measles is an infection caused by a virus which carries common symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose, and sore throat, as well as a skin rash characterized by large, flat botches covering the body. The incubation period (the time from when you get measles until you show symptoms) lasts 10-14 days before the rash begins on the face and starts to spread downward. Anyone with measles is most contagious starting around 4 days before the rash appears and lasting until four days after the rash has been present.

Since measles is a viral infection, there is no specific treatment or cure other than waiting for your body to fight off the virus. And that battle is more easily won by those of us with stronger, more developed immune systems.

How common are measles?

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world meaning that 90% of people who are vulnerable to contracting measles will get the disease if exposed. The disease can be spread by an infected person coughing, sneezing, or even talking, which sends infected saliva into the air to be inhaled by another person. Measles can also live on surfaces for up to 2 hours.

People who choose not get vaccinated against the measles are the most likely cause for the return of these major outbreaks.

Before the measles vaccine, almost everyone got measles as a child. In the United States, 48,000 people were hospitalized, 1,000 contracted measles-related encephalitis (a swelling of the brain), and 400-500 people died each year due to measles. Globally, there were...

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