Since late January, 146 cases of measles have been identified in West Texas, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Twenty patients have been hospitalized, and a school-age child who wasn’t vaccinated against measles died.
Measles outbreaks have since spread to other parts of the U.S. including New Mexico, New Jersey and Georgia, according to USA Today.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines “outbreak” status as having three or more related cases of a disease.
Measles is highly contagious and airborne. A person infected with the virus can spread it through coughing, sneezing and talking. “If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected,” according to the CDC.
So how concerning is the current number of measles cases for public health experts? Very concerning, says Frederic Bertley, CEO and President of the Center of Science & Industry and a leading science educator with a background in immunology.
“People should be worried, both in the U.S. [and] around the world,” Bertley tells CNBC Make It.
“To put it in perspective, last year [in the U.S.] we had 285 cases. That was for the entire year, 12 months. We have not even finished the first quarter [of 2025]. We’re just beginning March, and we’re already at 164. And we’ve already had a death. We have not had a death from measles since 2015 in the United States of America.”
Measles can affect people of all ages, but it does primarily pose a greater risk to children, especially under five years old.
Here’s how you can keep yourself and your kids safe against measles, according to Bertley and Dr. Adam J. Ratner, director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at NYU Langone Health.
How can I protect myself against measles?
“The best way that someone can prevent themselves or their kids from getting measles is to get vaccinated, and the recommendation is for two doses of vaccine,” says Ratner, who’s also the author of a book about measles called “Booster Shots.”
The measles vaccine is typically administered to children using this schedule:
- First dose: Between the ages of 12 and 15 months
- Second dose: Between the ages of four and six
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ parenting website states: “If you live in a community experiencing an outbreak​, or if you travel internationally, your baby may be vaccinated as early as 6 months of age. Talk with your pediatrician if this applies to you.”
Receiving both doses of the measles vaccine “usually protect people for life against measles,” says the CDC.
“It’s a completely safe vaccine with over six decades of data,” Bertley adds.
“If you’re an adult and you’ve never been vaccinated, you should get one vaccine. Even one dose helps you, in terms of effectiveness. But then you can get the second shot if you want as an adult, and you’ll be like 98% protected.”
What if I don’t know if I’ve ever received a measles vaccine?
As a first step for determining whether or not you’ve been vaccinated against measles, Ratner recommends speaking to your doctor who may have records of your previous vaccinations. Your parents may also have your shot records if you can’t find them, he says.
On your health records, your measles vaccine will appear as “MMR” or “MMRV.”
“If they really can’t figure it out, it probably makes sense just to get a dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, because it’s not dangerous to get even if you’ve had it before,” Ratner says.
You can also go to your general practitioner to get your blood drawn for an antibody test, Bertley says.
“They’ll be able to tell you, ‘Oh, yeah, you must have been vaccinated because you have antibodies.’ Or, ‘You know what, you have very low antibodies. You probably were never vaccinated.'”
Is a measles booster necessary for seniors?
Generally, doctors don’t recommend repeat doses for people who’ve either had measles in the past or those who’ve already received two doses of the vaccine, Ratner says. “For some vaccines you do need boosters, but measles isn’t one of them.”
If you’re a senior with health conditions, Bertley says there’s no harm in getting an antibody test done to determine if you still have great number of antibodies against measles.
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