The CDC has reported nearly 500 cases of measles in the US as of this week. Measles was considered eradicated in the United States in 2000 since the invention and administration of the Measles vaccine in 1963. The NYS Department of Health did issue a travel advisory on April 2, 2025 (posted in Health Services), warning that if you travel, be mindful of your vaccine status, measles outbreak areas and signs and symptoms of measles.
Many have reached out to Health Services to inquire if they need/should obtain a booster for measles.
Most people will not need a booster. The MMR vaccine (that includes measles, mumps and rubella invented in 1971) is highly effective and most have received two doses appropriately spaced apart to build immunity. Some that may be at risk are adults who were immunized between 1963, when the first measles vaccine was approved, and 1967. During that period, some children received an inactivated (killed) measles vaccine that was less effective than the live vaccine. If you think that you received the inactivated vaccine and not the live one, or aren’t sure, you should talk to your medical provider about having an MMR immunity blood test, which can show whether you have antibodies against measles.
For more information on measles, please go to the NYS DOH or CDC.gov
HVCC Health Services, located in the Wellness Center, Siek Campus Center, suite 270, is here to support you in meeting all of your health goals. We offer advocacy and care to promote being well and staying well. Feel free to contact our office at (518) 629-7468 or stop in and see us!