Measles

How do I protect myself from measles?

The best way to protect against measles is with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR is safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective.

The vaccine is generally recommended for children and adults. Most children receive two doses of the MMR before starting kindergarten in Louisiana. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether the MMR vaccine is right for you.

Individuals who should NOT get an MMR vaccine include:

• A woman who is pregnant or thinks she might be pregnant. Pregnant women should wait to get the MMR vaccine until after they are no longer pregnant. Women should avoid getting pregnant for at least 1 month after getting the MMR vaccine.
• An individual who has a severely weakened immune system due to disease (such as some cancers or HIV/AIDS) or medication (some autoimmune and cancer treatments, and/or high dose steroids for greater than two weeks).

I think I have been exposed to measles. What should I do?

• Immediately call your healthcare provider and let them know that you have been exposed to someone who has measles. Your healthcare provider can determine if you are protected against measles based on your vaccination record, age or laboratory evidence. Please also contact your regional epidemiologist with the Louisiana Department of Health, who can provide additional guidance.
• Monitor yourself for symptoms. Be on the lookout for fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7-21 days after exposure potentially occurred, as this is the time when symptoms may develop.
• If you go see a provider in person, please make sure to notify your provider that you have been exposed to measles before you arrive so that they can make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.
• If you are not immune to measles, MMR vaccine or a medicine called immune globulin may help reduce your risk of developing measles. Your healthcare provider can advise you and monitor you for signs and symptoms of measles.

I think I have measles. What should I do?

If symptoms develop, stay at home, and avoid school, work and any large gatherings. Immediately call your healthcare provider and let them know about your symptoms so that they can tell you what to do next. Your healthcare provider can make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk. The Louisiana Department of Health can assist health care providers in appropriately diagnosing and managing your care.

What else should I know about the MMR vaccine?

• The MMR vaccine is safe for most individuals and generally well tolerated.
• Common side effects include:
  • Soreness in the arm from the injection
  • fever occurring 7 to 12 days after vaccination (in 5 to 15% of vaccine recipients). Fever generally lasts 1-2 days.
  • rash appearing 7 to 10 days after vaccination (in about 5% of vaccine recipients)
• Although rare, the most common serious side effects following MMR vaccination include:
  • febrile seizures (in about 1 vaccine recipient for every 3,000 to 4,000 doses of MMR vaccine administered). The febrile seizures typically occur 6 to 14 days after vaccination and do not appear to be associated with any long-term issues.
  • severe allergic reactions (occur in 2-14 cases per 1 million doses administered)

Talk to your health care provider about any questions or concerns. For more information about the measles vaccines, visit CDC Website.

Could I still get measles if I am fully vaccinated?

Very few people — about 3 out of 100 — who get two doses of measles vaccine will still get measles if exposed to the virus. Experts aren’t sure why. It could be that their immune systems didn’t respond as well as they should have to the vaccine. However, fully vaccinated people who get measles are more likely to have a milder illness. And fully vaccinated people are also less likely to spread the disease to other people, including people who can’t get vaccinated because they are too young or have weakened immune systems.

How do I know if I received the MMR vaccine?

• If you are unsure whether you’ve been vaccinated, ask your healthcare provider to find out if you need an MMR. You can also check your family’s vaccine status at MyIR.
• If you have not yet registered for MyIR, signing up is easy, follow the steps on the myIR registration webpage.
• If your child is 1 year old or older and has never received the MMR vaccine, it is not too late to get them vaccinated. Please discuss with your healthcare provider.
• If you are interested in receiving a vaccine for you or your child, contact your healthcare provider or your parish health unit. They can answer any questions you have about the vaccine.

If I only got one dose of the MMR vaccine, am I considered fully vaccinated?

Generally, yes. For people born between 1963 and 1989, the recommendation was only to receive one shot, which is estimated to be 93% effective at preventing a measles infection. However, people born between 1963 and 1968 may have received a less effective type of vaccine. These individuals should contact their healthcare provider to ask if they should be re-vaccinated.

What if I was born before 1957, before the MMR vaccine was available?

Generally, individuals born before 1957 are considered immune to measles, mumps, and rubella and do not need an MMR vaccine. This is because you likely were infected with the diseases as a child. However, healthcare personnel born before 1957 without laboratory evidence of immunity or disease should consider getting the MMR vaccine.

I've had cancer before, can I still get the vaccine?

Be sure to discuss with your provider. Most people who’ve been off chemo for over 3 months, are in remission, and have their immune system back to normal can get the MMR vaccine.