Before the measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s, it’s estimated that 3 to 4 million people in the U.S. contracted the disease every year, of which 500,000 cases were reported. Among reported cases, 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 1,000 developed encephalitis (brain swelling) from measles. Since then, the United States has done a good job of vaccinating children against the disease to the point that in 2000, the Centers for Disease Control declared that measles was eliminated from the U.S.
Then why do we keep seeing news reports of outbreaks of measles?
As is often the case, there are multiple reasons which are contributing to the recent outbreaks.
One of the biggest contributors to the apparent comeback of measles is international travel. While the U.S. has done a great job in controlling the disease, a combination of Americans traveling overseas and foreign visitors/workers coming to the country has started to expose our weaknesses.
While vaccination rates for children average around 92%, 11 states still have vaccination rates below 90% as of 2017. In pockets of the population, those rates can be even lower. So when someone who is unvaccinated travels and is exposed to measles, they can bring it back home and expose the entire community.
So, while the guidelines for the measles vaccine from the CDC haven’t been changed since 2013, the CDC website does have a special page about measles for people traveling outside the country.https://www.cdc.gov/measles/plan-for-travel.html
Do you need to get a measles shot?
The easiest way to determine if you need a measles shot is to check your vaccination record. If you have received two doses of MMR, it is not recommended that you receive any additional shots. This should be anyone vaccinated after 1989. As of now, that is supposed to protect 97% of those vaccinated from getting the disease.
People born before 1957 are not recommended to get the vaccine by the CDC because of the prevalence of measles at the time. All people of that generation are assumed to be exposed and, therefore, immune. However, if you were born after 1957, the older you are, the more likely you may want to get an additional shot of the measles vaccine.
The original measles vaccine given between 1963 and 1967 was found to be ineffective and people who received that vaccine are recommended to get one to two doses of MMR based on their risk category.
Before 1989, most people only received only 1 dose of MMR vaccine. For those at low risk, there is no need for receiving another dose. However, there are special situations:
Students in postsecondary educational institutions, international travelers, and household or close personal contacts of immunocompromised persons with no evidence of immunity to measles, mumps, or rubella: 1 dose MMR if previously received 1 dose MMR, or 2-dose series MMR at least 4 weeks apart if previously did not receive any MMR
If you’ve only received one dose of MMR, it’s recommended that you get a second dose if you travel internationally. Even if you think where you are going is safe, think again.
Measles remains a common disease in many parts of the world, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Each year, an estimated 128,000 people die from measles. Many countries and popular travel destinations have experienced measles outbreaks in recent years. These include the UK, Israel, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Ukraine, the Philippines, and more.
Final Thoughts
So while it’s easy to think of measles as a disease of the past, it’s still out there. We’ve just eliminated it from our area of the earth but the more that we go out and explore other areas, the more we need to protect ourselves from getting sick and bringing those diseases back home with us.
Just a reminder to rely on reputable sources for information about vaccines. Stick to major scientific websites like CDC.gov or Vaccines.gov in the US, or the NHS vaccines website in the UK. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, so it’s important to stick to trustworthy sources.
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2 comments
My adult daughter had her first MMR early, at 6 months, due to international travel. Decades later a major University barred her from classes because her first MMR was before the age of 12 months and was, in the opinion of their nameless expert, not valid.
Please note that the recommendations are now to have the first MMR at 6 months.
I gave my daughter an early mmr vaccine at 6 months since we were traveling
She still needs 2 doses after 12 months but at least she’s covered for travel
Insurance paid for it fully