2026 Measles Update: What Parents Should Know

Measles is a serious health issue in the news recently, so we wanted to provide vital information for parents and caregivers. As of February 19, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 982 confirmed measles cases in the United States in 2026.

Where are the outbreaks occurring?

In 2026, the 26 jurisdictions with reported measles cases include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York City, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

When at least 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, it helps protect nearly everyone. This is called community immunity, which helps slow the spread of measles. However, CDC reports that measles vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners dropped from 95.2% in the 2019–2020 school year to 92.5% in the 2024–2025 school year. That means about 286,000 kindergartners were not fully protected during the 2024–2025 school year.

4 Things Parents Need to Know About Measles

1. Measles can be serious. It has the potential to cause severe health complications in children, especially those under five years of age. In 2025, 11% of measles cases required hospitalization, with children under five accounting for 20% of these hospitalizations.
2. Measles is very contagious. It is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The CDC states that if one person has measles, nine out of ten people around them will also become infected if they are not protected.
3. Children Can Still Get Measles in the U.S. Even though measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 because of an effective vaccination program, it is still common in many parts of the world. Each year, measles is brought into the United States by unvaccinated travelers (Americans as well as foreign visitors) who get measles when they are in other countries. Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk.
4. You Can Protect Your Child Against Measles with a Safe and Effective Vaccine. The CDC says the best protection is the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, which provides long-lasting protection against all strains of measles. Children need two doses of the MMR vaccine for the best protection:

• The first dose at 12-15 months of age
• The second dose at 4-6 years of age
  Note: If your family is traveling outside of the U.S., the CDC recommends:
  
  • If your baby is 6-11 months old, they should receive one dose of the MMR vaccine before leaving.
  • If your child is 12 months or older, they will need two doses of the MMR vaccine (given at least 28 days apart) before departure.

Common Symptoms of Measles:

Common symptoms of measles generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected and include:

• High fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red eyes
• Rash-flat red spots may appear three to five days after symptoms begin

What Should a Person Do If They Have Been Exposed to Someone Who Has Measles?

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you've been exposed to measles. They will assess your immunity status based on vaccination records, age, or laboratory evidence, and may arrange for evaluation without risking exposure to others.

The CDC says to call your doctor immediately and let them know that you’ve been exposed to someone who has measles. Your doctor will need to determine if you are immune based on vaccination records, age, or laboratory evidence, and may make special arrangements to evaluate you without putting other patients at risk.

To find a doctor, call us at the number above or complete the form on the page.