Traveling? Measles Is Still Out There

WebMD

2 days ago

— Planning a summer trip abroad? If you or your kids aren't fully vaccinated against the measles, you risk bringing home more than souvenirs. While measles cases in the U.S. seem finally to be slowing down, experts warn that international travel could reignite outbreaks and push the country's already high case numbers even higher.
Since January, Texas has confirmed more than 700 measles cases, including 94 hospitalizations and two deaths. Across the country, outbreaks are also in 11 other states — in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee — with well over a thousand cases total nationwide, making 2025 the second-worst measles year since the illness was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000.
While experts can't say for sure how these flare-ups started, many U.S. measles outbreaks trace back to international travel — when a partially vaccinated or unvaccinated person journeys to a country where the disease is still common, catches the virus, and returns home to a community with low vaccination rates.
'Measles has been historically eliminated from the U.S.,' said infectious disease specialist Nathan Lo, MD PhD, assistant professor of infectious diseases at Stanford University. 'That means that outbreaks in the U.S. (and in Texas) start with a travel-associated 'imported case.''
This travel season, health officials stress extra caution to protect yourself, your family, and your community.
Navigating a Highly Contagious Disease
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world. The virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and it can survive on a surface for up to two hours. If you're unvaccinated and around someone with measles, chances are very high — 90% — that you'll catch it, too.
Countries with ongoing measles outbreaks include Romania, Ireland, Austria, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and many others. But even if you're traveling to an outbreak-free area, you can still be exposed.
'Airports and airplanes are easy places to get infected,' said Paulo H. Verardi, PhD, professor of virology and vaccinology at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.
Protecting Yourself When Traveling Abroad
There are only two ways to be fully protected against measles when you travel: through vaccination or natural immunity.
Just about everyone should get two doses of a measles vaccine -- either the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) or the MMRV vaccine, which combines the MMR vaccine with the varicella (chickenpox) shot. The second shot should occur at least two weeks before travel, according to the CDC. Exceptions include children under 6 months old, who are not eligible for the vaccine. Those whose mothers are vaccinated receive some protection passed during pregnancy, but it doesn't long — typically waning at about six months.
Babies between 6 and 11 months should get one dose at least two weeks before they travel. Important: This early dose doesn't count toward the standard two-shot series — the child will still need to get two more doses later (at 12 to 15 months, and again at 4 to 6 years).
If you were born before 1957, then you're considered protected through natural immunity. Prior to the vaccine, nearly everyone got measles — because, again, it's incredibly contagious — and measles infection triggers an immune response that continues to protect you decades later.
What If You Can't Get the Measles Vaccine?
Patients with weakened immune systems — like if you've had an organ transplant or are undergoing treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy — might not be able to receive the vaccine. If that's you, then a conversation with your doctor belongs on your pretravel to-do list, said pediatrician David M. Higgins, MD, a pediatrician at the University of Colorado and Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora.
If you or your child can't get the measles vaccine, traveling — especially abroad and to parts of the U.S. with outbreaks — can carry serious risks. This is particularly true for children under 5, who are more vulnerable to severe complications from measles. Deciding whether to travel in this situation is deeply personal. 'There are many different degrees of immunocompromised, so it's really an individual decision,' Higgins said. Your health care provider can help you weigh the risks and explore options.
If vaccination isn't possible and you decide to travel, take extra precautions. Make sure that everyone traveling with you is fully vaccinated. Stick to commonsense hygiene practices like washing hands often, avoiding high-touch surfaces, and wearing a mask in crowded or enclosed spaces.
Also talk to your health care provider about what to do if there's a chance you've been exposed to measles. Post-exposure treatments like immunoglobulin may be given within six days of exposure — it won't replace the vaccine, but it could offer some protection or reduce symptoms.
What If You're Not Sure Whether You've Been Vaccinated?
Go ahead and get the jab. Experts say it's perfectly safe to get a booster, even if you've already had two shots. You can also ask your doctor to order an antibody test to check your immunity status, but these tests aren't always accurate and are not routinely recommended.
'For practical purposes, it's often easier to simply get vaccinated again rather than try to track down medical records,' Higgins said.
What to Do If You Think You Were Exposed Abroad
If you think you were exposed or start having symptoms, either abroad or back home, contact a health care provider immediately. The provider might recommend a measles test and ask whether you've been vaccinated.
Measles can have a long incubation period — it could take up to two weeks after exposure for symptoms to show up. Early signs like fever, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes can feel like an ordinary virus, but eventually you'll see the telltale red bumpy rash and possibly tiny white dots with red rims in your mouth (Koplik's spots).
'There's typical management of the condition but also prevention of transmission, which means that a person needs to be isolated,' said Wassim Ballan, MD, division chief of infectious disease and associate director of the infection prevention program for Phoenix Children's in Phoenix, Arizona. Patients should isolate for as long as they are considered contagious — for four days before the rash appears and continuing until four days after it's gone.