RIDOH Encourages Vaccination to Protect Against Measles Before Travel and Holidays

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is reminding the public about the importance of timely vaccination against measles and is sharing immunization recommendations to protect infants, children, and adults before any planned travel and holiday gatherings over the coming weeks and months.

Measles is highly contagious from person to person. Travel makes measles exposure more likely. Currently, there are several areas throughout the world and in North America experiencing measles cases and outbreaks, including parts of New York and Pennsylvania, as well as Canada and Mexico. If you are traveling internationally or to an area experiencing an outbreak, talk to your healthcare professional in advance. The best way to protect against measles is with the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. MMR vaccine is safe and effective.

It takes about 2 weeks for a person’s body to begin building immunity after vaccination, so now is the time for unvaccinated people planning to travel to get immunized with the MMR vaccine to protect themselves and their families. It is especially important to think about young children who have not been vaccinated yet who will be traveling, as their immune systems are not fully developed.

“Measles is particularly dangerous for babies and young children, but is almost entirely preventable through vaccination,” said Director of Health Jerry Larkin, MD. “Any parent or guardian who has a child at home who has not been vaccinated against measles should talk to their child’s healthcare professional, especially if they’re traveling outside the U.S., going to a state with a measles outbreak, or welcoming guests from those areas.”

For children, a first dose of MMR is generally given between 12 and 15 months of age and a second dose is generally given between 4 and 6 years old. However, if an infant will be traveling internationally or to a place where there is a known measles outbreak, they should be vaccinated early. This means that infants ages 6 to 11 months old should get 1 dose of MMR vaccine before traveling. They should then still get 2 more doses, as is routinely recommended, after their first birthday. A full list of MMR vaccine recommendations by age and status is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health both have trackers with information about measles transmission in the U.S. by state. Parents and guardians who have questions about upcoming travel and measles should talk to their child’s primary care professional.

Measles can be a serious illness for people in all age groups. However, in addition to young children, certain populations are more likely to suffer from measles complications, including immunocompromised people, pregnant women, and adults older than age 20. Unvaccinated or non-immune individuals have an increased risk of getting infected when encountering other people infected with measles. Vaccination recommendations and requirements for all age groups can be found at health.ri.gov/infectious-diseases/measles.

There are several ways to get vaccinated, including through a healthcare professional or at a community clinic. For any family with insurance issues or trouble accessing care, RIDOH can make vaccine available at no cost. For a list of clinics or for more information, visit health.ri.gov/vaccine-clinics or call 401-222-5960 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

About Measles

A measles infection can cause severe illness, hospitalization, and even death. The measles virus lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It spreads easily to others when an infected person coughs or sneezes or through close personal contact. According to the CDC, a room where a person with measles has been should remain empty for up to 2 hours after they leave, as the measles virus can remain infectious in the air for that duration.

Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms typically include:

High fever
Cough
Runny nose
Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
Tiny white spots inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek
A rash made up of large, flat blotches.

Additionally, measles can weaken the immune system, leaving people more vulnerable to other infections for up to five years. The measles virus takes over certain immune cells that help the body remember and fight past infections. It damages these cells, erasing some of the immune system’s memory of illnesses the body has fought before. This is called “immune amnesia.” As a result, the body may have a harder time fighting infections it was once able to control. Measles can also lead to serious brain and spinal cord conditions. One, called acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord. Another, called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), is a rare but deadly disease that causes ongoing inflammation and damage to the brain.

Anyone with measles symptoms seeking care should call their healthcare professional before arriving at the medical office, so they may take precautions to protect other patients and staff.

To learn more about measles, visit the following resources:

RIDOH: