CDC issues measles outbreak health advisory, encourages vaccination

The CDC is urging healthcare providers to recommend and administer measles vaccines for patients six months and older in a recent Health Alert Network (HAN) Health advisory. In light of recent measles outbreaks nationwide, the advisory stresses that all eligible United States residents should be updated on their vaccinations before international travel.

Measles is a viral infection that can cause severe complications and death in unvaccinated individuals. The disease is characterized by multiple symptoms, including a high fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis, which appear 7–14 days after exposure to the virus. Up to 3 days after the first symptoms appear, patients may develop Koplik spots inside their mouth. Within 5 days, patients begin to exhibit the measles rash — small, raised bumps on top of flat red spots.

While measles can be risky for anyone, children under 5, adults over 20, pregnant individuals, and immunocompromised people are at the most significant risk of measles complications.

The viral infection is airborne and can be spread between patients from an infected patient’s breath, cough, or sneeze. It can also remain on surfaces for up to two hours. Once exposed, patients are contagious from four days before the rash starts to four days after.

Luckily, scientific advancements have offered some protection against measles.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is available to patients six months and older to protect against infection. According to the CDC’s health advisory, the standard two-dose series of the vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles. Additionally, 95% or greater vaccine coverage across communities offers herd immunity.

However, a growing number of parents are not vaccinating their kids appropriately. For example, the CDC notes that in the 2022–2023 school year, kindergarten vaccine coverage was 93.1%, a decline from the 95.2% coverage in the 2019–2020 school year. Furthermore, the CDC notes that 36 states and DC have coverage rates lower than 95%, meaning they do not have herd immunity.

The CDC’s pediatric immunization schedule recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine administered at 12–15 months and 4–6 years; however, parents traveling with infants 6–11 months should get their child vaccinated before departure and revaccinate with the two-dose series at the appropriate ages. Additionally, all children over one year should have their two doses at least four weeks before travel.