•  The best protection from measles is to get vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.

○ Two doses of the MMR vaccine prevent 97% of measles infections.

○ The vaccine protects both children and adults from serious complications.

• Almost everyone without immunity will get measles if exposed to the virus. Once infected, there is no specific treatment to cure measles.

• You are considered protected from measles if you have records showing at least one of  the following:
  • You received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, and you are:
    • A school-aged child (grades K-12)
    • An adult in a special population, such as a health care worker, a college student, or an international traveler
  • You received one dose of a measles vaccine, and you are:
    • A preschool-aged child (12 months to 4 years of age)
    • An adult who is not in a special population
    • You have laboratory confirmation of a past measles infection or immunity to measles
    • You were born before 1957, in any country

• First, try to find your vaccination records or documentation of measles immunity.
• If you do not have records showing your measles immunity or measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination, you should get vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.
• There is no harm in getting another dose of MMR vaccine if you may already be immune to measles (or mumps or rubella). Another option is to have a healthcare provider test your blood to determine whether you’re immune, but this is generally not recommended.

• If you were born after 1957, one dose of the measles vaccine should offer strong protection against measles. Certain adults may need two doses separated by at least 28 days. These adults include:

○ Students at post-high school education institutions

○ Health care workers

○ People born after 1957 who are traveling internationally or domestically to areas where measles is spreading

○ People who public health authorities determine are at increased risk of getting measles during a measles outbreak

• Yes, people who know they received the inactivated measles vaccine should get revaccinated with the current, live MMR vaccine. The inactivated measles vaccine, used between 1963 and 1967, was less effective than our current MMR vaccine.
• People who were vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 and are unsure or have no documentation of the type of measles vaccine they received should get revaccinated with the current, live MMR vaccine.

• People born in any country before 1957 are generally presumed to have been exposed to measles during their childhood, and do not need the MMR vaccine. The U.S. began routine measles vaccination campaigns ahead of most other countries. It is possible that some people born outside of the U.S. were exposed to measles during their childhood well after 1957, but assessing the probability of measles exposure country by country is challenging. If you were born in another country and are unsure of your measles immunity, you should receive the MMR vaccine.

• If you are unsure about your vaccination status, you can:

○ Talk with your medical care provider.

○ Check your vaccination record in the self-serve Colorado Immunization Information System public portal

■ Immunization records printed from the CIIS public portal may not be complete, as records include only what has been reported to CIIS.

○ If you or your family were vaccinated in a U.S. state or territory outside of Colorado, you can contact the Immunization Information System in the city, state, or territory where your last vaccine(s) were given to request the record.

○ Use the CDC’s Keep Track of Records webpage for more resources.

• Contact your health care provider by telephone immediately and let them know that you have been exposed to someone who has measles. Your health care provider can:

○ Determine if you are immune to measles based on your vaccination record, age, or laboratory evidence.

○ Make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.

• If you have measles, you should stay home for 4 days after you develop the rash. Staying home is an important way to not spread measles to other people. Ask your health care provider when it is safe to be around other people again.

• You should also:

○ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and put your used tissue in the trash can. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.

○ Wash your hands often with soap and water.

○ Avoid sharing drinks or eating utensils.

○ Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys, doorknobs, tables, and counters. Standard household disinfectants will readily kill the measles virus.

• Contact your health care provider if you are concerned about your symptoms.
• If you need medical attention, contact a health care facility before you arrive so they can arrange a way to limit exposure to others.