[gtranslate]
Is Measles Really That Serious? Yes!
Measles is a serious flu-like illness with a red rash on the body and white spots in the mouth. It’s one of the most contagious diseases we know about. If you’re in a room with someone who has measles and you’re not vaccinated, you have up to a 90% chance of catching it.
Unfortunately, measles cases are rising across the United States. In 2025, doctors reported 800 cases in just the first 3 1/2 months of the year — almost three times more than in all of 2024. Almost all of these patients did not have measles vaccinations.
What Are Measles Symptoms?
Measles isn’t just a rash and fever. Dr. Stewart Decker, clinical wellness officer & medical director at Sky Lakes Wellness Center, explains that measles can cause pneumonia (lung infection) and encephalitis (brain infection). “Encephalitis with acute inflammation of the brain can result in permanent brain damage in one out of every 1,000 cases,” he says. Measles can also include ear infection and diarrhea and lead to blindness and death.
Before vaccines became available, about 48,000 Americans went to the hospital each year because of measles and up to 500 people died from it annually. Today, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people with measles still need hospital care.
You’re Contagious Before You Know You’re Sick
Here’s what makes measles especially hazardous: “Four days before you even know that you have the virus [when the rash appears], you are contagious,” Decker explains. “There’s nothing else quite like it.”
You continue spreading measles for four days after the rash begins. It spreads through the air when someone coughs or sneezes, and through direct contact. This is why measles can spread so quickly through communities with low vaccination rates.
Why Vaccination Rates Matter
When you get vaccinated, you protect yourself. But you also protect your community, especially babies too young for vaccines and people with weakened immune systems who can’t be vaccinated.
“Because measles is so infectious, we need a 95% vaccination rate to afford effective herd immunity,” Decker says. “So you really need tip-top vaccination rates.” Some good news: The overall vaccination rate for Klamath Falls is 96.1%.
Who Needs the Measles Vaccine?
The measles vaccine (given as MMR: measles, mumps, rubella) is extremely effective. One dose prevents measles 93% of the time. Two doses work 97% of the time.
The Infectious Diseases Society recommends children get their first shot between 12 and 15 months old, then a second shot between ages 4 and 6. After that, most people are protected for a lifetime.
If you’re not sure about your vaccination status, talk to your doctor. You can get the vaccine at any age if you need it. Two shots could save your life or someone else’s.
Measles Doesn’t Need to Exist
Measles is a serious disease that can hurt or kill you. The vaccine is safe and works extremely well. Getting vaccinated protects you, your family, and your community from a disease that doesn’t need to exist in the United States.
