- Measles Outbreak 2019 - Information
- Measles Resources
- Measles Information in Other Languages
- Measles Multimedia
Measles is an extremely contagious disease. It can be serious and even deadly, especially for young children. There is a safe and highly effective vaccine to prevent measles. Measles vaccination is recommended for everyone age 1 year and older. Measles vaccine is required to attend school and child care in Washington state. It is also required for staff and volunteers working in a child care center or preschool. In the United States, measles vaccines called “MMR” and “MMRV” are available.
- Measles virus travels through the air. You can get measles if you go near someone who has the virus because the virus stays for up to two hours in the air of a room where a person with measles has been.
- You can catch measles from an infected person as early as 4 days before they have a rash and for up to 4 days after the rash appears.
- Almost everyone who is not immune will get measles if they are exposed to the measles virus.
- Foreign travel or exposure to foreign travelers increases the risk for measles.
Measles, also called rubeola, is the most deadly of all childhood rash/fever illnesses. It is a leading cause of death among children worldwide. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information about measles outbreaks nationwide.
The best protection against measles is to get vaccinated. The measles vaccine is safe and highly effective. Make sure to protect yourself and your children with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Measles Symptoms

Measles starts with:
- fever
- diarrhea
- coughing
- runny nose
- red and watery eyes
- tiredness
After a few days, a rash begins, which usually starts on the face and can spread over the entire body.
In some people, especially people who are have chronic medical problems, are pregnant, or are malnourished, measles also leads to serious problems such as pneumonia, brain damage, blindness, deafness, and death.
Measles usually lasts 7 to 10 days.
About the MMR Vaccine
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. Another vaccine, called MMRV, protects against those three diseases and chickenpox as well. Measles-only vaccine is not available in the United States.
Kids should get two doses: One dose between ages 12 and 15 months, and the second between ages 4 and 6 years. If your family will be traveling outside the United States, your baby can get an extra dose at age 6 to 12 months.
Adults born after 1956 may need a dose of MMR if they have not already had it.
Talk to your health care provider to get the MMR or MMRV vaccine for your children. Washington provides MMR and MMRV vaccines at no cost for kids through age 18, and they're available from health care providers across the state. Providers may charge an office visit fee and a fee to give the vaccine, called an administration fee. However, if you can't afford the administration fee, you may ask your provider to waive it.
If you or your child has had MMR, MMRV, or another measles vaccine before but you don’t have the medical record showing the vaccination, you or your child may need to repeat a dose of MMR or MMRV. It is safe to receive extra doses of the vaccine, even for people who have had it before.
In Washington state, workers and volunteers in child care, ECEAP, and Head Start facilities are required to be vaccinated against measles.
If you don’t want another dose of measles vaccine, you can ask your doctor to test to see if you have immunity. This is called an antibody titer. Insurance may not cover this test.
Watch Making a Disease Disappear (a TED Talk at the CDC)
Stand Together to Protect Us All: Jaxon's Story
Paula Abalahin of Port Orchard, Washington, shares her son Jaxon's story:
My son Jaxon got measles when he was 7 months old, too young to get immunized. He got better, but five years later he started having seizures. He lost the ability to swallow, speak, and walk. After suffering greatly, Jaxon died a few years later. His condition was caused by the measles virus.
“We learned that, even though there is an effective vaccine, measles is still a leading cause of death among young children worldwide. And in our community, parents are not fully immunizing their children, which puts them at risk to get and spread measles and other terrible diseases. I hope my story can help prevent another child from experiencing what my son went through.”
- Meet Paula's family and see more pictures of Jaxon at Jaxon's Cure.
- Learn about SSPE, the measles complication that caused Jaxon's death.
Measles Resources
For Parents and the Public
- Measles Basic Information flyer (PDF)
- Most adults in the U.S. are at low risk for measles (PDF)
- Vaccine safety
- Learn about the MMR vaccine
- Frequently asked questions about measles
- "Measles Vaccine: Our Best Protection" flyer (PDF)
- Frequently asked questions about measles in the U.S. (CDC)
- Find a local health department
- Immunization forms and publications
- Information for travelers (CDC)
- The Top 4 Things Parents Need To Know About Measles (PDF) (CDC)
- Кір та вакцина (ін'єкція), яка запобігає йому (PDF) (“Measles and the Vaccine that Prevents It” flyer - Ukrainian) (CDC)
- КІР, Більш серйозний, ніж звичайна висипка (PDF) (“Measles: More than just a little rash” infographic - Ukrainian) (CDC)
For Local Health Jurisdictions
- "Measles basic information" flyer (PDF)
- Measles information in other languages
- Webinar: “Think Measles” (Public Health Seattle-King County)
- Vaccine safety
- "Measles Vaccine: Our Best Protection" flyer (PDF)
- Suspect Measles Case Checklist
- Measles is a notifiable condition (CDC)
- Nationwide measles outbreak news (CDC)
- Measles information (Immunization Action Coalition) - Includes patient handouts, standing orders, journal articles, case reports, VIS, and more
- CDC Pink Book chapter on measles (CDC)
For Providers
- "Measles basic information" flyer (PDF)
- Measles information in other languages
- “Could it be Measles?” flyer
- FAQ for Health Care Workers and Providers
- Webinar: “Think Measles” (Public Health Seattle-King County)
- Vaccine safety
- "Measles Vaccine: Our Best Protection" flyer (PDF)
- Suspect Measles Case Checklist
- Nationwide measles outbreak news (CDC)
- Measles is a notifiable condition (CDC)
- Immunization reminder/recall resources
- Measles information (Immunization Action Coalition) - Includes patient handouts, standing orders, journal articles, case reports, VIS, and more
- Measles information for health care providers (CDC)
- Dear Provider Letter- Adult Measles Vaccination (CDC)
- CDC Pink Book chapter on measles (CDC)
For Schools and Child Cares
- "Measles basic information" flyer (PDF)
- Measles information in other languages
- "Measles Vaccine: Our Best Protection" flyer (PDF)
- “Protect Your Family and Community from Measles” brochure (PDF)
- Washington school immunization data and reports
- School and child care immunization
- "Measles: It Isn't Just a Little Rash" infographic (CDC)
- "Traveling Abroad? Protect Your Child from Measles" infographic (CDC)
Measles Information in Other Languages
Measles Basic Information Flyer
- Información básica sobre el sarampión (Spanish)
- Macluumaadka ku saabsan jadeecada (Somali)
- КОРЬ (Russian)
- खसरा के बारे में जानकारी (Hindi)
- معلومات عن الحصبة (Arabic)
- سرخکان (Dari)
- شری (Pashto)
- інформація про кір (Ukrainian)
- पोर्टलको बारेमा जानकारी (Nepali)
- Habari juu ya masuli (Swahili)
- ព័ត៌មានអំពីក្ឹល (Khmer)
- 홍역 (Korean)
- ဝက်သက်အကြောင်းသတင်းအချက်အလက် (Burmese)
- የኩፍኝ በሽታ (Amharic)
- 麻疹 (Chinese simplified)
- 麻疹 (Chinese traditional)
- ሕማም ንፍዮ (Tigrinya)
- BỆNH SỞI (Vietnamese)
Other Items
- Кір та вакцина (ін'єкція), яка запобігає йому (PDF) (“Measles and the Vaccine that Prevents It” flyer - Ukrainian) (CDC)
- КІР, Більш серйозний, ніж звичайна висипка (PDF) (“Measles: More than just a little rash” infographic - Ukrainian) (CDC)
Measles Multimedia
More videos, infographics, posters, stories, and other media items