Two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles.
Who should get vaccinated?
-
Children
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children get two doses:
- The first dose at 12 through 15 months of age
- The second dose before entering school at 4 through 6 years of age.
-
Adults
- Adults born during or after 1957 who haven’t had measles or have never been vaccinated should get at least one dose of measles vaccine.
- College students, international travelers, and health care personnel should get two doses at least 28 days apart.
Where do I go to get vaccinated?
Call your doctor or local health department to get vaccinated. You can also check your local pharmacy to see if they have the vaccine. The Wisconsin Vaccines for Children Program covers the cost of vaccines for eligible children.
How do I know if I'm vaccinated against measles?
Wisconsin residents can check their immunization history by checking with their doctor or going to the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR).
Measles is just a grocery store run, a trip to the movies, or a bus or plane ride away.
The measles virus can easily spread from person to person through the air and stay in the air for up to two hours after a sick person coughs or sneezes!
It's just measles. So what?
Learn the facts! (Measles Fact Sheet, P-42174)
Measles can cause serious health complications, such as:
- Pneumonia,
- Brain damage,
- Deafness,
- Even death!
One in four people who get measles in the United States will be hospitalized.
One to two out of 1,000 children in the United States who get measles will die from the disease, even with the best care.
Before the measles vaccination program started in 1963, about 3 to 4 million people got measles each year in the United States. Of those people, 400 to 500 died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 1,000 developed encephalitis (brain swelling) from measles.
Information for parents and patients
Measles is preventable. Call your doctor or visit the Wisconsin Immunization Registry to make sure you and your family have been immunized against measles.
Measles Disease Information
- Measles fact sheet, P-42174: What do you need to know about measles? available in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali
- Measles disease overview: A resource from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that answers frequently asked questions about measles disease
- Questions about vaccines?: Common questions about vaccines are answered by Vaccinate Your Family.
Measles Immunization Information
- Measles vaccination information: Information for parents about the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
- MMR vaccine information statement (in multiple languages): Explains the risks of measles disease and benefits of vaccination.
- Public immunization record access: Are you trying to find your or your child's immunization record? The Wisconsin Immunization Registry may be able to help.
Measles Communication
For health care professionals
Measles is a highly contagious disease. Health care providers should report immediately report a suspected or confirmed case to the patient's local health department. Providers should also work with their infection control to prevent the spread of disease to others.
Measles is a Wisconsin Disease Surveillance Category I disease:
- Report IMMEDIATELY by TELEPHONE to the patient's local health department upon identification of a confirmed or suspected case. The local health department shall then notify the state epidemiologist immediately of any confirmed or suspected cases. Within 24 hours, submit a case report electronically through the Wisconsin Electronic Surveillance System (WEDSS), by mail or fax using an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report, F-44151 (Word) or by other means.
- DHS Communicable Disease Reporting
Wisconsin case reporting and public health follow-up guidelines:
- Case Reporting and Investigation Protocol (EpiNet): P-01989 Measles (PDF)
- Measles surveillance and control guidelines, P-00892 (PDF)
- Section 1 reviews the disease
- Section 2 covers specimen collection and laboratory testing
- Section 3 covers reporting and case investigation
- Section 4 covers disease control
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Clinical Testing Reference Manual
- ACIP recommendations
- CDC Transmission Precautions
Resources for clinicians
- CDC (COCA) webinar-Is this the end of measles elimination? How can you stop the transmission of measles
- What to do if you suspect your patient has measles, P-02416 (PDF)
- Measles journal articles
- Measles photos
- Posters and videos for your office from EZIZ
- Alert – Measles can spread easily from person to person, P-02359
- Minimize Measles Transmission In Your Clinic—From the Minnesota Department of Public Health
For local health departments
Measles is a highly contagious disease. Local health departments and tribal clinics should work with health care providers in their jurisdictions to take immediate steps if there is a suspected or confirmed case.
Measles is a Wisconsin Disease Surveillance Category I disease:
- Report IMMEDIATELY by TELEPHONE to the patient's local health department upon identification of a confirmed or suspected case. The local health department shall then notify the state epidemiologist immediately of any confirmed or suspected cases. Within 24 hours, submit a case report electronically through the Wisconsin Electronic Surveillance System (WEDSS), by mail or fax using an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report, F-44151 (Word) or by other means.
- DHS Communicable Disease Reporting
Wisconsin case reporting and public health follow-up guidelines:
- Case Reporting and Investigation Protocol (EpiNet): P-01989 Measles (PDF)
- Measles surveillance and control guidelines, P-00892 (PDF)
- Section 1 reviews the disease
- Section 2 covers specimen collection and laboratory testing
- Section 3 covers reporting and case investigation
- Section 4 covers disease control
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Clinical Testing Reference Manual
- Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations
What is a disease investigation? Follow CDC's guidelines and best practices.
