ADPH: Make sure your children are up-to-date with measles vaccination

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – The Alabama Department of Public Health is reminding folks to make sure your children are up-to-date with measles vaccinations.

This comes after cases of the highly contagious disease are rising in several states, including Texas and Georgia, during the first two months of 2025.

If exposed to measles, unvaccinated people have a 90% chance of becoming infected. Infected people can spread the disease for up to three weeks.

Measles is a serious viral respiratory illness. It spreads when people breathe in or have contact with virus-infected fluid and can pass through droplets sprayed into the air when someone with measles sneezes or coughs. Symptoms usually appear one to two weeks later.

“One of the main messages we want to emphasize is that measles follows a pattern in which the child first develops fever, cough, runny nose, and watery/red eyes, then a rash develops. Persons can start spreading the virus up to four days before symptoms appear, and those with weak immune systems can spread the measles virus longer,” said ADPH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Karen Landers.

No antiviral drug is available to treat measles. To help manage symptoms, parents should make sure their child gets plenty of fluids and rest. You can give them a non-aspirin fever medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. In some cases, measles can lead to other problems like ear infections, pneumonia, or encephalitis.

For most children, protection from measles comes from the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, known as the MMR vaccine. It’s usually given to children 12-15 months in age and again between ages 4 and 6.

Vaccines are available at a pediatrician’s office or at county health departments.

The risk of the MMR vaccine causing serious harm or death is extremely small, according to the health department. They say getting the vaccine is much safer than getting measles.

Parents are asked to call a doctor immediately if they believe their child has measles or if their child has been around someone who has measles.

Details about measles vaccines can be found at the Alabama Department of Health website by clicking or tapping here.

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