Vaccination with two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent measles.

Know if you and your children are protected. Two doses of MMR vaccine provide long-lasting protection against measles. Those who have previously been infected with measles are also protected from being infected with measles again. Get your child’s California digital vaccine record.

Get vaccinated if you are not already vaccinated or are unsure of your vaccination status. Talk with your healthcare provider about getting vaccinated or having a blood test to check for immunity to measles.

Vaccinate your children. The MMR vaccine is included in the routine childhood immunization schedule. Children should receive the first dose at 12 to 15 months and the second dose at 4 to 6 years. Children ages 6 to 12 months should get the MMR vaccine if they will be traveling internationally.

Older children can be vaccinated, too, if they have not been already or have not had their second dose.

Call your healthcare provider if you think you or your child might have measles. Call before going to the medical office so the office can take steps to prevent others from being exposed to measles.

If you have more questions about measles, please contact your healthcare provider.

Measles cases often originate from unvaccinated or undervaccinated U.S. residents who travel internationally and then transmit the disease to people who are not vaccinated against measles. All international travelers over the age of 6 months should be vaccinated against measles before traveling.

• Infants 6 to 11 months old need 1 dose of MMR vaccine
• Children 12 months and older need 2 doses of MMR vaccine
• Adults born during or after 1957 without evidence of immunity against measles need documentation of two doses of MMR vaccine at least 28 days apart

AfterTraveling Abroad:

• Patients should monitor for fever and rash for 3 weeks after international travel

Plan for Travel | Measles (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Measles Information (California Department of Public Health)

Measles Information (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Use the Think Measles job aid to assess for suspected measles.

Healthcare providers should consider measles in patients with:

• Fever, rash, and any of the “3 Cs” – cough, coryza (runny nose), or conjunctivitis  
• In the prior 3 weeks, any: travel outside of North America, transit through U.S. international airports, or interaction with international visitors (including at U.S. tourist attractions) Ask about measles vaccination status, onset and duration of fever and rash, exposure to other persons with febrile rash illness, travel history, and international visitors in the three weeks prior to illness. When suspecting measles in your patient, immediately mask and isolate the patient per airborne precautions. Infected people are contagious from 4 days before rash onset through 4 days after rash onset. 

Measles cases often originate from unvaccinated or undervaccinated U.S. residents who travel internationally and then transmit the disease to people who are not vaccinated against measles. All international travelers over the age of 6 months should be vaccinated against measles before traveling.

Before Traveling Abroad:

1. Mask and Isolate: Mask and isolate the patient immediately. Do not allow patients with suspected measles to remain in the waiting room or other common areas of the healthcare facility. Isolate patients in a single-patient airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) if available, or in a private room with a closed door until an AIIR is available.
   1. Healthcare providers should be adequately protected against measles and should adhere to standard and airborne precautions when evaluating suspect cases regardless of their vaccination status. All healthcare personnel entering the patient room, regardless of immune status, should use respiratory protection at least as effective as an N95 respirator per Cal/OSHA requirements.
2. Notify: Healthcare providers are required to immediately notify the Public Health Department of any suspected case of measles to ensure rapid testing and investigation. Call Public Health immediately, while the patient is still in your office or emergency department, at (831) 454-4838. After hours, call (831) 471-1170 and ask for the Health Officer on call. Call, do not fax.
   1. Be prepared to provide (1) a detailed description of fever and rash onset and evolution, (2) a photo of the rash, and (3) complete vaccination and travel history.
3. Test: If advised to test for measles by Public Health, collect a throat swab and urine sample for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Collect specimens in-office rather than sending the patient to a laboratory. Specimen Public Health Lab submittal will be coordinated with the Public Health Department, Communicable Disease Unit. Please complete the Public Health Laboratory submission form.
4. Manage: If discharged home: provide patient suspected to have measles with instructions to isolate at home until test results return. If transferred to a higher level of medical care: directly inform EMS and the accepting facility so that appropriate precautions can be put in place. In coordination with the Public Health Department, provide appropriate measles post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to close contacts without evidence of immunity, either MMR or immunoglobulin.
5. Vaccinate: Make sure all your patients are up-to-date on the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, especially before international travel. People 6 months of age or older who will be traveling internationally should be vaccinated against measles.

Measles can be prevented with measles-containing vaccine, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. One dose of MMR vaccine is approximately 93 percent effective at preventing measles; two doses are approximately 97 percent effective.

The MMR vaccine is included in the routine childhood immunization schedule. CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. Teens and adults should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination, and all international travelers over the age of 6 months should be vaccinated against measles before traveling.

For more information on the MMR vaccine, refer to the CDC’s Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccination: Information for Healthcare Providers webpage.