I've been exposed to someone who has measles. What should I do?
Immediately call your healthcare provider and let them know that you have been exposed to someone who has measles. Your healthcare provider can
- determine if you are immune to measles based on your vaccination record, age, or laboratory evidence.
- make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.
If you are not immune to measles, MMR vaccine or a medicine called immune globulin may help reduce your risk developing measles. Your healthcare provider can advise you and monitor you for signs and symptoms of measles.
If you are not immune and do not get MMR or immune globulin, you should stay away from settings where there are susceptible people (such as schools, hospitals, or childcare) until your healthcare provider says it’s okay to return. This will help ensure that you do not spread it to others
Measles transmission (How does measles spread?)
Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person.
- It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing.
- If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected.
Animals do not get or spread measles.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases
Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.
Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the rash appears.
Measles virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace after an infected person leaves an area.