Measles continues to spread nationally. As of March 27th, 483 cases have been confirmed in 20 states. In St. Louis, 46% of adults surveyed heard about rising measles cases in the last 7 days; only 14% heard that a small group of adults vaccinated 50 years ago may need a booster.
Current measles outbreaks in the U.S.
Five states – TX, NM, KS, OH, OK – have measles outbreaks, up from 3 states one week ago. Most cases are in children 5-19 (42%) or under 5 (33%). 1 in 7 is hospitalized, and 2 have died.
Who should get the measles vaccine?
Two doses of MMR vaccine provide 97% protection. One dose provides 93% protection. CDC recommends children get two doses: one at age 12–15 months and another at age 4–6 years.
Do some older adults need a measles vaccine booster?
For adults born after 1957 who got a measles vaccine before 1968, CDC advises they consider revaccination with a live attenuated measles vaccine. This is because some vaccines available from 1963-1968 used an inactivated virus which was found to be less effective.
Among those surveyed in MO, NE, GA, and NC, Hispanic adults were more likely to report hearing about a possible need for revaccination than Blacks or whites (21% vs. 18% vs. 16%).
I got vaccinated for measles a long time ago. How do I know if I’m immune?
If you have documents showing you got an MMR vaccination, lab evidence of immunity, lab confirmation of past measles infection, or were born before 1957, you are presumed immune.
Let’s keep measles out of St. Louis
Share the resources below to support measles prevention in St. Louis. To see additional measles resources from earlier this year, click here.
About this week’s report
This week’s alert is based on a survey of 397 adult residents in St. Louis, MO (n = 195), Omaha, NE (n = 85), Atlanta, GA (n = 62), and North Carolina (n=55) conducted from March 29-31, 2025. Explore these data and more at iHeardSTL.
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While highly contagious, measles is preventable with the MMR vaccine. Consider checking in with loved ones to see if you and your family’s measles vaccines are up-to-date.
#iHeardSTL #Measles
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