Measles is easily spread from person to person. When an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes, the virus is released into the air and enters another person’s body through the nose, mouth or throat. People can also become sick if they come in contact with the mucus or saliva (spit) from an infected person. The measles virus can live on contaminated surfaces and in the air for up to two hours. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the contaminated surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected. Measles may be transmitted from 4 days before through 4 days after rash onset.

“Exposed” means you’ve been in a situation where you can catch the virus from someone who already has measles. For example, you can be exposed to the measles virus by being in the same room, home, office, or waiting room with someone who has measles or by being there up to 2 hours after the person with measles has left. People are less likely to get sick with measles if they have been appropriately vaccinated. Approximately 90 percent of susceptible people will get measles if they are exposed to someone with the disease.

• Call your health care provider or local health department as soon as possible to discuss your exposure.
• Do NOT visit a medical facility unless you call BEFORE arrival to inform them that you were exposed to measles. You could be infectious before you have symptoms of measles. Special arrangements must be made for you to be evaluated without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk
• Check if you are immune to measles. See below: "How do you know if someone is immune to measles?"
  • If you or your child are not immune, or don’t know if you are immune, you may be advised to stay home (quarantine) and away from work, school, and public places for 21 days to ensure you/your child do not become infected and pass measles to others.
  • If you are immune to measles, you do not need to be quarantined and may continue with your normal activities.
• Monitor for any symptoms of measles until 21 days after exposure.

If you are not immune or don’t know if you are immune to measles, getting the vaccine may help prevent disease, but only if given within 72 hours of first exposure. Immune globulin (IG), a blood product containing antibodies to the measles virus, is a medical way to prevent measles from becoming more serious in some people after they are exposed to the virus, if given within six (6) days of first exposure. It may be given to some infants <12 months of age, pregnant women (who are not immune), or persons with weakened immune systems. Discuss the risks and benefits of getting IG with your health care provider. If you are eligible, your health care provider or local health department will coordinate arrangements, including finding a location with IG, scheduling an appointment, and giving you special instructions for when you arrive. Do NOT enter any medical facility to request IG without having an appointment. Individuals who receive IG will need to quarantine for 28 days from exposure.

If you become ill with measles-like symptoms, including fever, rash, runny nose, cough, loss of appetite, and “pink eye,” call your health care provider or local health department. If you need medical care, you must call BEFORE going to any medical facility and inform them that you were exposed to measles and that you have symptoms, to prevent exposure to other patients and medical office staff. Do NOT enter any medical facility without notifying them before arrival. You should not go to work or school if you are sick.

Immunity means protection from disease. People who may have been exposed to measles, need to show proof of immunity.

Generally, a person is considered immune if they:

1. Had measles in the past, and have laboratory confirmation to prove it, OR
2. Have laboratory evidence (a blood test that shows whether the body has antibodies to fight off the virus) of immunity, OR
3. Have written documentation of adequate vaccination with measles-containing vaccine in the past (often given as MMR [measles, mumps, and rubella] vaccine)
   • One or more doses of a measles-containing vaccine administered on or after the first birthday for preschool-age children and adults not at high risk
   • Two doses of measles-containing vaccine for school-age children and adults at high risk, including college students, health care personnel, and international travelers, OR
4. Were born before 1957
   • Adults born before 1957 are likely to have had measles disease as a child and are generally (but not always) considered not to need vaccination.

People born before 1957 lived through several years of epidemic measles before the first measles vaccine was licensed. As a result, these people are very likely to have had the measles disease. Surveys suggest that 95% to 98% of those born before 1957 are immune to measles.

Not necessarily. People who have documentation of receiving LIVE measles vaccine in the 1960s do not need to be revaccinated. People who were vaccinated prior to 1968 with either inactivated (killed) measles vaccine or measles vaccine of unknown type should be revaccinated with at least one dose of live attenuated measles vaccine. This recommendation is intended to protect those who may have received killed measles vaccine, which was available in 1963-1967 and was not effective.

If you’re unsure whether you’re immune to measles, you should first try to find your vaccination records or documentation of measles immunity. Your health care provider can help determine if you are immune to measles by reviewing your medical history, ordering a blood test to determine whether you’re immune, or recommending vaccination. The best protection against measles is vaccination, and it is safe to get a measles vaccine if you are not sure if you are immune.

Contact your health care provider regarding your past immunization history. Your family, schools, colleges, prior employers, or the military (if you were enlisted) may also have records of your immunization history. If you are, or have been, pregnant your obstetrician’s office may have also tested you for measles when they tested you for rubella.

You may also be included in your state’s immunization registry. For NJ residents, you can request your immunization record through NJ Immunization System (NJIIS).

If you lived in another state, you may be in their registry: Contacts for Immunization Information System (IIS).

Please visit the CDC website for additional suggestions on how to locate your vaccination records: cdc.gov/vaccines-adults/recommended-vaccines/keeping-vaccine-records-up-to-date.html

The measles vaccine works extremely well. If 1,000 people each get 2 doses of measles vaccine, about 997 of them will be protected against measles (immune). Getting 2 doses of vaccine is important, because some people (about 2-5 per 100) do not become protected (immune) after just one dose of vaccine.

In the USA, measles vaccine is almost always given as a combination with vaccine against 2 other viruses: mumps and rubella. This combination vaccine is called MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) and it gives protection against all 3 viruses.

Most people who get MMR vaccine do not have any problems with it. Mild side effects such as sore arm, fever, and mild rash can occur. As with any medicine, there is a very small chance of a vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious injury, or death, but this risk is very small. Getting MMR vaccine is much safer than getting any of these three diseases.
See Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) for more information:

MMR Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)

MMRV Vaccine Information Statements (VIS)

Quarantine means staying at home and away from other people during the period when someone could get sick. This includes not going to daycare/school/work, group and social activities, sports and recreation events, and public places like cinemas and shopping malls.

Quarantine is for people who are not immune or don’t know if they are immune to measles and who have been exposed to someone with measles. It is an important part of stopping measles from spreading in the community.

The incubation period (time between being exposed to the measles virus and the appearance of the first symptoms) for measles is up to 21 days. We begin quarantine from day 5 from first exposure and continue through 21 days from last exposure. Quarantine should occur in consultation with public health authorities, who will be able to help you determine the appropriate dates for quarantine.

If you were able to receive the vaccine within 72 hours after first exposure to someone with measles, you might not need to be quarantined. However, if you receive the vaccine after 72 hours, you will need to be quarantined for 21 days.

See above: “How do you know if someone is immune to measles?”. Household members who are immune to measles do not need to be vaccinated. Household members who are not immune, or don't know if they are immune, should consider getting vaccinated.

No. Entering the home where a person is quarantined is highly discouraged. However, in cases requiring caregivers such as a child or the elderly, only individuals with immunity to measles should enter the household.  Please see above "How do you know if someone is immune to measles?"

If you do not get measles, you cannot spread it to others. However, because you are still in the period where you could become ill, you may not know you are infectious. You can spread the disease before you have symptoms. Therefore, it is best to limit contact with those in your household and they should review their immune status. If there are other individuals living in the home of the quarantined person who are not immune to measles, the likelihood that they will get sick with measles may be reduced if the quarantined person stays inside their designated room/area, avoids contact with others, and wears a mask when in common rooms. Please see above: “How do you know if someone is immune to measles?”.

The quarantined person should not leave the house. If the quarantined person needs to receive essential medical care, they must call BEFORE going to any medical facility and inform them that they were exposed to measles. The medical facility will need to make special arrangements, which may include a mask.