What is Measles?
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a rash, which typically looks like flat, red spots that start at the hairline and spreads down the body. Measles is so contagious that if one person has measles, up to nine in 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected through vaccination or previous infection.
Current Situation
The United States is experiencing a substantial increase in measles cases since February 2025. In 2024, there were 285 confirmed measles cases nationwide; in 2025, there were 2,289 confirmed cases and already in 2026, there have been 2,903 confirmed cases. In 2026, 66% of cases are in children 19 years and younger and 94% of cases have been unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccine status. The Farmington Valley Health District has not had any measles cases in 2026.
What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?
The single best protection a person can have against measles is the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (commonly called the MMR vaccine). Two doses of the MMR vaccine, which are required for enrollment to all Connecticut schools, are 97% effective against the development of measles.
Most people receive the MMR vaccine in childhood. If you are unsure whether you received the vaccine, you can ask your healthcare provider for an antibody test (IgG titer), which is a blood test that can determine whether you received the MMR vaccine. In addition, you can safely receive a dose of the MMR vaccine if you are unsure whether you have ever received one; according to the CDC, there is no harm in getting an extra dose of the MMR vaccine even if you are already immune.
All individuals born before 1957 are considered to be immune to measles because measles circulated widely before this time and it is assumed that they were exposed to measles during childhood.
Common places to receive an MMR vaccine include your healthcare provider’s office, pediatricians, and pharmacies.
For more information about measles, click here.