Once considered eliminated in the U.S., measles is creeping back. It is fueled by declining vaccinations. In 2025, there have been more than 1,500 measles cases confirmed nationwide. This resurgence correlates with falling childhood MMR vaccinations.
In South Carolina, over 150 unvaccinated students have been quarantined after exposures in two schools. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, nearly 120 children are under restrictions due to an outbreak. In both states, public health officials are seeing signs of active community transmission, meaning the virus is spreading without a clear origin.
Measles are one of the most contagious diseases. It is spread by an infected person who is coughing, sneezing, or breathing the air breathed by someone with measles. The reason for high infectivity is that the virus remains active and therefore contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours. One person infected by measles can infect no less than nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts. It can be transmitted four days prior to the onset of the rash to four days after the rash erupts.
Symptoms include:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose (coryza)
- Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Rash (3-5 days after symptoms begin)
Since fever is one of the main symptoms it is important to take regular temperature checks a reliable thermometer like Exergen’s TempoTherm or TAT-2000C, which provide quick, accurate, and non-intrusive readings with a gentle swipe across the forehead, by softly touching it.
With school communities bearing the burden of preventable illness, the solution remains clear: boosting vaccination coverage. Until then, these disruptions may continue and the U.S. risks losing its measles elimination status for the first time in 25 years. Parents and guardians talk to their healthcare providers and stay informed.
Measles are preventable. It’s estimated that when 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, both those individuals and others in their community are protected against measles. The vaccine is safe, affordable, and highly effective. Two doses provide nearly complete protection. Community-wide immunity depends on all of us doing our part. Prevention, after all, is our best defense.
Sources:
Exergen P/N 850575
