While the risk of measles exposure remains low for most Bay Area residents, the increasing number of cases nationwide and in California underscores the importance of robust protection against this highly contagious and dangerous illness.
What’s important to know:
- The best protection against measles is two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, which protects you for life. This is particularly important for anyone travelling internationally in the upcoming months.
- Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis (pink eye), followed 2-4 days later by a rash.
- The virus is transmitted through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Infectious droplets can linger in indoor air for several hours.
- If traveling internationally, watch for signs and symptoms of measles for 3 weeks after returning to the United States.
Read more here.