Measles
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that poses a serious health threat, especially to young children and unvaccinated individuals.
The Guilford County Division of Public Health is dedicated to protecting our community by promoting early detection, vaccination, and public awareness. Get answers to common questions about measles.
Your participation is vital in making our community healthier. There is good news: measles is preventable. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination is a safe, proven, and effective way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community from these three diseases. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are approximately 97% effective in preventing measles, and one dose is about 93% effective.
The Guilford County Division of Public Health urges all community members to:
- Check your vaccination status. If you are unsure of your status, locate your immunization record.
- Ensure your children are vaccinated. Make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date. Find a vaccination provider for your child by visiting the interactive map on VaccinesForKids.nc.gov (English) and VacunasParaNinos.nc.gov (Spanish).
- Encourage others to get vaccinated!
MMR vaccinations are available from local health care providers. Additionally, the Guilford County Division of Public Health offers immunization appointments Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Greensboro (1100 E. Wendover Ave.) and High Point (501 E. Green Drive) locations. Call 336-641-3245 to schedule an appointment. Residents may also receive the MMR vaccination at Guilford County Public Health community mobile clinics on designated days. Check the Guilford County events calendar for upcoming clinics.
Please ensure that your, or your child’s, health insurance (including Medicaid) information and immunization records are readily available at the time of your visit. A parent or guardian will need to be present with children during your visit to Greensboro, High Point, or mobile clinic locations.
Measles is a Highly Contagious Virus that Can Have Serious Complications
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and others breathe that air. You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been. This can happen even up to two hours after that person has left. It is so contagious that if one person has it, nine out of 10 people of all ages around him or her will also become infected if those people are not vaccinated. Visit the CDC's measles webpage for more information about measles, including symptoms, complications, and vaccine recommendations.
What to Know Right Now
Measles symptoms appear 7-14 days after contact with the virus. Common measles symptoms include:
- High fever (may spike to more than 104° F),
- Cough
- Runny nose (coryza)
- Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Rash
There is no medical treatment or cure for measles. Symptoms can be eased through rest, hydration, and fever-reducing drugs.
If you have symptoms of measles, stay away from others.
Immediately call your healthcare provider and let them know about your symptoms so that they can tell you what to do next. If you do not have a regular healthcare provider, you can call an urgent care facility or your nearest emergency room.
Wherever you decide to go, call ahead and do not walk into the facility. The providers will make special arrangements for you to enter the building without putting other patients and staff at risk of exposure.
You should also take the following precautions:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and put your used tissue in the trash can. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Avoid sharing drinks or eating utensils.
- Disinfect surfaces that are touched regularly, such as toys, sinks, tabletops, countertops, and doorknobs. Normal household disinfectants can kill the measles virus.
If your healthcare provider or the Guilford County Division of Public Health told you that you have measles:
- Follow their instructions to stay home until it is safe to be around other people again, usually at least four (4) days after developing the rash.
- Call your healthcare provider if you are concerned about your symptoms.
- Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening.
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; and 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, getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine within 72 hours or a medicine called immune globulin within six days of being exposed may provide some protection against the disease.
Your healthcare provider can advise you and monitor you for signs and symptoms of measles.
Measles can lead to serious complications, including:
- Pneumonia
- Ear infections
- Diarrhea and dehydration
- Encephalitis (brain swelling)
- Permanent hearing loss
- Death, especially in young children and immunocompromised individuals
The best protection against measles is a two-dose measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine that is typically given to children before the age of six:
- Children get the first dose between 12 and 15 months old and get the second dose between 4 and 6 years old.
- Older children, adolescents, and adults also need 1 or 2 doses of MMR vaccine if they don't have evidence of immunity—check with your provider if you do not know if you have either gotten the vaccine or been infected with measles. Doses should be separated by at least 28 days.
Supplements like vitamin A are not substitutes for vaccination and do not prevent measles. Qualified health providers may, in some cases, suggest vitamin A to ease symptoms of measles.
Find the most convenient vaccination location for your child by visiting the interactive map on VaccinesForKids.nc.gov (English) and VacunasParaNinos.nc.gov (Spanish).
- Children starting at 12-15 months, with a second dose at 4-6 years, as per North Carolina’s immunization schedule
- Unvaccinated teens and adults without prior immunity
- National and international travelers
- Those traveling to outbreak areas
- Healthcare and childcare workers
Note: Pregnant women and individuals with certain medical conditions should consult their doctor before receiving the MMR vaccine.
New Grade? New Vaccine Requirements!
Kindergarteners, seventh graders, and 12th graders are required to have certain vaccines to attend school or childcare facilities in North Carolina—this includes the MMR vaccine.
Parents are encouraged to check their child’s immunization records and schedule any necessary vaccinations as soon as possible. The North Carolina General Statutes (G.S. 130A-152(a)) require immunizations for every child present in this state. Parents are requested to provide proof of vaccinations at their child’s school at the time of kindergarten enrollment. Guilford County Schools requires proof of immunization for all children within thirty (30) calendar days of the first enrollment date. For a full list of required vaccinations, visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Measles Precautions for Healthcare Facilities, Workplaces, and Hospitality Establishments
To prevent or reduce patient, employee, and customer risk to measles virus exposure, healthcare facilities, workplaces, and hospitality establishes should take preventative measures to ensure that surfaces that may be contaminated with body fluids are cleaned regularly with disinfectant. Generally, EPA-registered disinfectants suitable for Hepatitis B viruses and HIV will be effective against the measles virus. Commonly contaminated areas include water fountains, sinks, countertops, tabletops, tables, front desks, cabinets, chairs, door handles, telephones, faucet handles, restrooms, and equipment. In addition to the previous items, childcare workers should disinfect any toys or small objects that may be contaminated with a child’s saliva or other body fluids.
Immunization Exemptions in North Carolina
North Carolina law provides for two types of exemptions from required immunizations. They are medical and religious.