I'm not sure about where you live but where I live in Michigan, we are having a measles outbreak. As of March 26, 2019, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services had 22 confirmed measles cases in the state. According to news articles that I've been reading, that number is actually higher now. As of that day, 21 cases were in Oakland County, MI and 1 case in Wayne County, MI. People with the illness ranged from ages 11-63 years old.

The reasons that I am especially passionate about the topic of measles and vaccines is because of my family. My niece is 11 months old and has not received the measles vaccine yet since it is not given until 12 months old. This puts her at risk when she goes out in public. How awful to have to worry about a disease that should be gone! Also, I am pregnant and due in about 3 months and of course, my baby will not be vaccinated at birth or for the first year from measles (unless recommendations change due to the outbreak) which is scary. We love to get out and if measles is still going around, I am going to be scared to do so.

Measles Outbreak: What You Need to Know

Why is there a measles outbreak going on in the US?

Since 1994, this is the worst case of a measles outbreak. This outbreak started in New York when people from Israel and Ukraine entered the US bringing the disease here. Nationally, 314 cases of measles have been reported in 15 states, the most in 30 years according to the CDC.

What is so awful about this outbreak is that measles was considered to be nearly eradicated in the US in 2000. It should be gone but since not everyone is vaccinated, the disease is sadly back in our country.

Symptoms of Measles

Measles is spread through direct contact with an ill person and through coughing and sneezing. Symptoms start 7-14 days after exposure and include: high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Some of the first symptoms to watch out for are tiny white spots in the mouth and a blotchy red body rash. If you do get symptoms of measles, you should not visit your doctor or emergency department before calling ahead so that they can take precaution to prevent other people from getting the disease.

Complications from Measles

Complications from measles include pneumonia, swelling of the brain, ear infection with permanent ear loss, pre-term births and low birthweight babies. Obviously, I am vaccinated but as a pregnant woman, the complications that deal with babies especially scare me.

Where could I have come into contact with someone with measles?

Check out this link for the locations in Oakland county that the people with measles visited.

What should I do to avoid measles?

If you are unvaccinated or are not sure if you have been vaccinated, it is being recommended that you get vaccinated. You can contact your doctor or local health department for the vaccine. The measles vaccine is very effective and safe. One dose of the measles vaccine protects 95 percent of children and after 2 doses, almost 100 percent are immune. You cannot get measles from getting the vaccine.

The best protection against measles is the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine which provides long-lasting protection against measles. The first dose is given 12-15 month and the 2nd is given 4-6 years old. It is not currently required to get any booster shots later in life to protect against measles as the vaccine is supposed to have lifelong coverage for most individuals.

What if I have been exposed to measles?

If you are vaccinated, you most likely will be okay. If you are not vaccinated, you may still be able to prevent the disease by getting vaccinated within 72 hours of exposure.

If you have not been vaccinated, please consider getting the measles vaccine to protect you and your family and to help stop the spread of this disease.


Learn more information about the measles outbreak from I Vaccinate or visit the CDC's page.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by I Vaccinate. I am completely honored to be able to get to spread the word about vaccines as part of my job.