Measles crisis: Vaccines save lives

Re‑emerging Measles in the United States

A spike in measles cases has surfaced across 36 states and Washington, D.C., marking the nation’s most significant outbreak in three decades. Two Virginia Tech specialists have uncovered why the virus is spreading rapidly and have offered clear strategies for containment.

Understanding Measles

Measles is caused by a morbillivirus from the paramyxovirus family and is transmitted through airborne droplets. The illness typically begins with cold‑like symptoms, followed a few days later by a distinctive rash. Some patients may also develop small oral spots.

Common Health Complications

• Otitis media – middle‑ear inflammation.
• Pneumonia, pneumonitis, and tracheobronchitis – severe respiratory infections.
• Convulsions, encephalitis, and blindness – neurological emergencies.
• Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis – a rare but serious outcome affecting about 1 in 25,000 people.

Expert Perspectives

Linsey Marr, an environmental engineer and renowned aerosol virus researcher at Virginia Tech, notes that measles was considered eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but vaccination rates have now declined. Marr explains that measles spreads much like COVID‑19, surviving in microscopic respiratory particles that can linger in the air long after an infected individual has exited. She cites a historical example from the 1980s when unvaccinated patients contracted measles after being in a pediatrician’s office an hour after an infected visitor had been present.

Lisa M. Lee, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Virginia Tech, emphasizes the extraordinary contagiousness of measles. “Measles is far more transmissible than COVID‑19,” she states. “One person with measles can infect up to 20 others if they are not vaccinated or have never encountered the disease.”

Prevention Strategies

Lee recommends that at least 95 % of a community should be fully vaccinated to halt measles spread, a threshold necessary to protect vulnerable children. Standard medical advice endorses two vaccine doses: the first at 12 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years. Adults who have never been vaccinated or never contracted measles can still receive immunization.

With two doses, measles vaccination offers 97 % effectiveness, while a single dose confers about 93 % protection — according to Lee.

As measles resurfaces in the U.S., Lee urges a simple yet powerful solution: “Protect yourself and your community by getting vaccinated.”