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The measles virus is an illness that breathes fear into the air, as it’s one of the most infectious diseases in human history.
The illness is a respiratory illness, meaning it can be easily spread through sneezing, coughing, and even breathing.
“Measles can linger in the air for up to 2 hours after somebody who’s infectious is in a room,” says Elena Diskin, an Epidemiology Program Manager with the Virginia Department of Health.
The virus can affect anyone of any age, but children are typically the group most impacted by the illness.
“Measles is so contagious when it gets in a population, it can spread really quickly to anyone who is not immune,” says Diskin.
However, the measles virus is highly preventable through the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine, better known as MMR.
“MMR vaccine, measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is the best protection you have against measles, hands down,” says Doctor Laurie Forlano, the State Epidemiologist for VDH.
According to the Center for Disease Control, the first measles vaccine appeared in the 1960s, but the version we see today didn’t appear until 1971.
Prior to the invention of the vaccine, the virus had dire impacts on people across the globe.
According to the World Health Organization, severe measles outbreaks happened nearly every two to three years, before 1963.
“We don’t see them now, but back in the early 1900s, one out of five children did not live to their fifth birthday.” says Christina Gray, the Director of Immunizations for VDH.
Numbers from the WHO shows during that period, roughly 2.6 million people died from measles each year.
But the number of cases declined after the introduction of the vaccine, with a major push from health officials to eradicate measles completely.
“It’s one of the most powerful public health tools in history, really to prevent illness and serious illness,” says Forlano.
Through the efforts of organizations like the CDC and WHO, measles was completely eliminated from the United States in 2000.
But vaccine fatigue has allowed for cases to reappear, as the virus reemerges and impacts people again.
In 2025, the U.S. saw 2,289 measles cases across the nation, but the CDC is already reporting 2,231 cases through July 10th of this year.
“Vaccines are often the enemy of their own success, they work so well that we aren’t seeing those diseases anymore,” says Gray. “But oftentimes people forget that except for smallpox, none of these diseases have been eradicated from our world.”
This includes here in Virginia, where VDH is currently working to stop an outbreak in Buckingham and Cumberland counties.
“Measles activity is rising in Virginia and nationally and globally as well,” says Diskin. “We’re seeing large outbreaks occurring across the U.S. in many different states.”
The Commonwealth has seen 177 cases so far on the year, but 154 of those cases are tied to the current outbreak.
This is why VDH is encouraging Virginians to get the MMR vaccine, to help keep communities healthy.
“Keeping that herd immunity, that community immunity keeps everybody protected,” says Diskin.
Community immunity is a base level of vaccinations across the board, needed to prevent a disease from spreading.
This number can vary, but according to VDH, it sits around the 95% mark and protects those that can’t get the vaccine, including infants, pregnant women, and the immuno-compromised.
However, it doesn’t only help to protect people, but also stops the virus from spreading completely.
“If you have enough people vaccinated around somebody else who can’t, there’s nowhere for the disease to spread because it immediately just stops,” says Gray. “So high vaccination rates protect the individual as well as the community.”
VDH says people’s health is an individual decision, but it encourages people to get the vaccine for the best protection.
“We really want to hear the questions and we want to have those conversations,” says Forlano. “I’m a mother myself, I understand why parents have an instinct to protect.”
But for those that aren’t vaccinated and not willing to get the vaccine, health officials advise staying away from public areas.
“If you don’t have that prior immunity from vaccine or prior illness, staying home away from high risk settings like a daycare,” says Diskin.
According to VDH, 95% of the measles cases here in Virginia were in unvaccinated patients, with 106 of those cases being children.
“The overwhelming majority of Virginians choose to vaccinate themselves and their families,” says Forlano. “I think because they know that these vaccines are the best protection we have against these diseases.”
But gaps do remain, and this is why health officials are pushing for people to check their vaccination status.
“More recently there’s been a lot of online immunization records, so you can look up your immunization records,” says Diskin. “Virginia has some great tools to look up your immunization records and you can even link to other states.”
Those tools can be found on VDH’s website, but officials say you can also reach out to your primary care doctor or local pharmacy for details if you’ve gotten vaccines there.
And for those that are not able to confirm your vaccination status, officials say it’s safe to get another dose of the vaccine.
“It does not hurt for additional vaccination if you are not certain, with a disease that is as contagious and deadly as measles.”
The MMR vaccine is recommended for everyone 12 months old and over, and is recommended for folks six months and older in communities at high-risk.