The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory to inform clinicians and public health officials of an increase in global and domestic measles cases and to provide guidance for preventing measles infections and reducing the risk of community transmission. 

CDC recommends that health care providers work to ensure students and children are current with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Children who are not traveling internationally should receive their first dose of MMR at 12 to 15 months old and their second dose at 4 to 6 years of age.  

For U.S. residents older than 6 months who plan to travel internationally, CDC recommends the following:  

• Infants ages 6 through 11 months should receive one dose of MMR vaccine before departure. Infants who receive a dose of MMR vaccine before their first birthday should receive two more doses of MMR vaccine, the first of which should be administered when the child is age 12 through 15 months and the second at least 28 days later. 

• Children ages 12 months or older should receive two doses of MMR vaccine, separated by at least 28 days. 

• Teenagers and adults without evidence of measles immunity should receive two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days. 

From January 1 to March 14, 2024, CDC has been notified of 58 confirmed U.S. cases of measles across 17 jurisdictions, including seven outbreaks in seven jurisdictions. By comparison, there were 58 total cases and four outbreaks for the entirety of 2023.  

Among the 58 confirmed cases in 2024, 54 (93%) were linked to international travel, and most of them were among children ages 12 months and older who had not received their MMR vaccine.  

View the complete advisory here.  

Additional resources for health care providers: 

• Measles One-Pager for Healthcare Providers | Project Firstline and AAP 

• Immunization Schedules | CDC 

• Safety Information for Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccines | CDC 

• For Healthcare Professionals – Diagnosing and Treating Measles | CDC 

• Interim Measles Infection Prevention Recommendations in Healthcare Settings | CDC 

• Measles – Vaccine Preventable Diseases Surveillance Manual | CDC 

• Rubeola / Measles | CDC Yellow Book 2024 

• Measles Lab Tools | CDC 

• Measles Serology | CDC 

• Measles Specimen Collection, Storage, and Shipment | CDC 

• Test Directory | Submitting Specimens to CDC | Infectious Diseases Laboratories | CDC 

• Webinar Thursday, August 17, 2023 – We Must Maintain Measles Elimination in the United States: Measles Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Prevention (cdc.gov) (Free CE)