Yahoo Lifestyle 7 Top Measles Symptoms to Be Aware Of, Because a Rash Is Just One
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Here we are again: Measles, a disease once declared eradicated in the U.S. is on the rise. In fact, there have already been 222 cases of measles reported across 12 different states so far this year, according to data released by the CDC on March 7, 2025. For comparison, in all of 2024, there were 285 reported cases.
Measles might not sound like a big deal because many of us haven’t experienced it firsthand thanks to the first measles vaccine introduced in 1963. “When I was a medical student, I did a rural rotation in southeastern Ohio and one of the doctors who was working the ER actually called the doctor I was working with and said, ‘Send her over to the ER. I have a case of measles, and it’s probably something she’ll never see again,’” recalls Sarah Sams, MD, FAAFP, a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors and a family physician in Columbus, Ohio.
Unfortunately, that’s not how the story went. In recent years, a growing number of people have been hesitant to take vaccines because of unfounded claims that they can carry a high risk of serious side effects. “There was the big controversy at one point about the MMR [measles, mumps, rubella] vaccine and autism and that has been debunked — proven not to be true — but having that misinformation and invalid reasons for not getting the vaccine has really led to a resurgence of an illness that we shouldn't be seeing at all anymore,” says Dr. Sams.
Now, measles cases pop up when unvaccinated people travel outside the country and bring the disease back to the U.S. If you’re worried about the current outbreaks, the good news is there are steps you can take today to protect yourself and your family from this potentially deadly virus. Keep reading to learn about the measles signs to look for, what to do if you suspect an infection, and the recommended vaccine schedule.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Unfortunately, “the symptoms don't start until about a week to 10 days after exposure,” says Dr. Sams. “So you may be exposed to somebody — and not even realize that you've been exposed — and then actually can be contagious to others.” However, you should be on the lookout for these common signs of measles, according to Mayo Clinic:
Fever
Cough
Runny nose
Sore throat
Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
Tiny white spots on inner cheeks
Skin rash
Is measles dangerous?
Yes, especially for young children because “their bodies are still developing, and they don’t have as much reserve capacity in their lungs,” says Dr. Sams. According to data published by the CDC on May 9, 2024, about 20% of people who get measles will need to be hospitalized, 1 out of 20 kids with measles will end up with pneumonia, and 1 to 3 out 1,000 children infected with measles will die. (One child in the U.S. has already died of measles in 2025.) “Pneumonia is probably the most common cause of death that can occur,” says Dr. Sams. “The other thing that you can get is some brain swelling, and that can lead to brain damage. So even if you survive, you may have residual effects.” Those effects can include deafness and/or intellectual disability.
How is measles treated?
“There isn’t a cure for measles,” says Dr. Sams. “Once you have it, we have to do supportive care.” That could include things like medication to reduce a fever or antibiotics to treat bacterial pneumonia that develops during a measles infection. You see, antibiotics won’t directly help with measles because they are only effective against bacteria and measles is caused by a virus. Because there’s no cure and serious complications can occur, taking steps to prevent measles is vital.
How do you prevent measles?
The most important step you can take to prevent the spread of measles is to ensure you and your family are fully vaccinated against it. There are rare cases of vaccinated people getting it, but the vast majority of folks who contract measles are unvaccinated, according to Dr. Sams. In fact, the most recent CDC data shows that only 2% of people infected with measles in the U.S. this year have been fully vaccinated against it.
Once someone has measles, it’s very difficult to keep others from getting it. There are two big reasons for this. The first is that, as mentioned above, a person is contagious before they have symptoms so they may not know that they should be taking preventive steps. Second, measles is spread through respiratory droplets that can linger in the air for up to two hours so direct contact with a sick person is not necessary to contract the virus, according to information published by the CDC on July 15, 2024.
If you or a family member might have measles, “the first thing you should do is see your physician and get tested, because we can do antibody titers to see if you have the acute infection,” says Dr. Sams. An infected person should be separated from other members of the household (especially those who are unvaccinated or have compromised immune systems) to lower the risk of passing the virus around. Washing hands and wearing masks may also help reduce the risk of transmission.
Who should get a measles vaccine?
Right now, the standard CDC recommendation is that kids get one shot of the MMR vaccine at age 12 to 15 months and then a booster between age 4 and 6 years. In special circumstances (such as traveling outside the country when a child is 6 to 11 months old), a physician may advise a different vaccine schedule. Adults who haven’t received two MMR injections, got a measles vaccine in the 1960s or are healthcare workers with low levels of MMR antibodies may benefit from vaccination as well.
“I think the biggest message is that vaccines generally are safe,” says Dr. Sams. “The measles vaccines started back in the 1960s so we have a long track record and we saw a major improvement and decrease in these illnesses.”
The bottom line
Measles can be serious, especially for young kids as well as people who are immunocompromised. The most powerful tool against it is vaccination. “To not vaccinate is really taking a step back in public health, not just for your own risk, but for the risk of others around you,” says Dr. Sams. “I think we’re going to see a continued resurgence if people continue to worry about the vaccines for oftentimes unfounded reasons.”
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