As measles continues to spread through the U.S. with outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico and cases being reported in Washington, D.C., and 16 other states, experts advise people to ensure they’re vaccinated against the illness and note some may want to get booster shots. (For more information on measles outbreaks, check our measles outbreak tracker.)
Boxes and vials of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella Virus Vaccine at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock ... More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises the best way to protect against measles is to get the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) shot, which are often administered to children in two doses when they are between 12 and 15 months and again when they are between four- and six-years-old.
The CDC says most people who get either vaccination are “protected for life,” and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases says most vaccinated adults do not need boosters to protect against measles.
The NFID and CDC recommend that if you are unsure of immunity or vaccination status, it is safest to get a measles vaccine as there is “no harm in getting another dose if you may already be immune.”
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The only group the CDC recommends should get another dose of the measles vaccine is “people vaccinated prior to 1968 with either inactivated (killed) measles vaccine or measles vaccine of unknown type.” The CDC recommends those people get at least one dose of a new measles vaccine as the vaccine available from 1963 to 1967 was not effective.
The CDC advises people not to get the vaccine or check with their healthcare provider before getting it if they have previously had an allergic reaction to a dose of the vaccine, are pregnant, have a weakened immune system or have had other vaccines recently. The full list of people who should wait to get vaccinated is available at the CDC website.
Yes, medical experts say the vaccine is extremely safe and effective. People with two MMR shots are estimated to be about 97% protected from measles, and most people who are vaccinated will never get the illness, according to Yale Medicine. The CDC also states the vaccine usually only has mild side effects that go away on their own—including soreness where the shot was given, fever, rash or temporary pain and stiffness—and there is no link between the vaccine and autism.
95%. That’s how many of the confirmed cases in 2025 have been in people who were unvaccinated or did not know their vaccination status. Just 2% of cases have been in people who had two doses of the vaccine, and 3% in those who had one dose.
Yes. As of March 20, the CDC reported there were 378 confirmed cases of measles nationwide across 18 states, and that 90% of the confirmed cases have been associated with three reported outbreaks. More than 300 of the cases have been reported in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, and 43 have been reported in New Mexico, according to its health department.
The CDC said cases have been confirmed in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont and Washington.
Measles Outbreak: Cases Near 330 In Texas As Illness Reported In Washington, D.C. (Forbes)
Measles Vaccination (CDC)