11/04/2026
Welcome back for another Wellness Wednesday - Measles edition.
Measles, unfortunately, seems to be everywhere right now. Measles is a viral infection that can cause a red, blotchy rash, fever, cough and a runny nose. This highly contagious condition can also lead to serious and even life-threatening complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis.
Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure (but can present up to 21 days after contact with someone with measles). These symptoms include:
- High fever.
- Cough.
- Runny nose.
- Red, watery eyes.
- Koplik spots (small white spots inside the mouth surrounded by localized redness) which may appear before the rash.
- A red rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
Complications from measles can be severe, especially in young children, pregnant women and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Measles is spread by coming into contact with someone who has the virus. When someone with the condition coughs, sneezes or talks, this can spread the virus onto nearby people, air and surfaces. The virus can travel more than six feet and live for up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves the room.
A person with measles can be contagious from four days before the onset of the rash until four days after the rash appears. This means individuals can spread the virus before they even realize they are sick, increasing the risk of transmission in communities with low vaccination rates.
Measles can be prevented with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination. Routine vaccination occurs at 12 Months and ages 4 to 6. However, infants as young as 6 Months of age can receive the vaccine, it just has to be repeated again after their first birthday.
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