Is measles coming to Maine? Will my vaccinations protect me?

The outbreak of measles continues to spread Texas and New Mexicoso far, 284 reported cases and two deaths from two vaccinated people have been reported.

Nationally, there have been 308 measles cases so far this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. This exceeds the total number of cases reported in all 2024-285.

Dr. Puthiery VA, director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shawn Patrick O'olet/Portland Press Herald

There have been no cases reported in Maine this year. The state's high vaccination rates reduce the risk of an outbreak here.

However, Maine is completely immune from illness. The last measles incident in Maine was in 2023 when one child was ill.

The media Herald caught up with Dr. Puthiery VA, director of the Main CDC, to help answer Maine's questions about vaccinations, illness risks, and reporting alternative prevention and treatments.

This is what you need to know.

Where do American measles appear?

Outside of the major outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, measles incidents have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

What is measles and why is it dangerous?

Measles is a viral disease that causes symptoms such as rash, fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis (eye infection) that are common in news photos.

It can cause severe complications.

“Measles are harmful. It can cause swelling in the brain, pneumonia, loss of hearing and loss of life,” the VA said.

Approximately 1-3 deaths can occur for every 1,000 cases. Before the measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s, infections caused 400-500 deaths per year.

How does it spread and how does it stop?

“Measles are incredibly contagious, and one of the reasons it's so contagious and so good to spread is that it's in the air,” the VA said.

“Individuals are contagious for longer than they are infected four days before symptoms develop, up to 21 days after exposure to the virus. So people are moving around, roaming everyday life and still very contagious.”

Measles is considered to be very contagious, so if one person has it, nine out of the 10 people in the same room may have contracted with measles.

“Vaccinations are the single most effective way to prevent measles,” the VA said.

When should my child get the measles vaccine?

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccines (MMRs) are recommended for children aged 12-15 months, followed by boosters for children aged 4-6 years.

If a family is traveling to an area where they are experiencing measles outbreaks, it could slightly change the recommendation, the VA said. For example, if you have a 10-month-old child and are traveling to West Texas where measles is spreading, the VA said they would go ahead and get a shot early.

Maine passed the law that came into effect in 2019. This requires all school-age children to be vaccinated for many other infectious diseases such as measles and whooping cough and chicken po. Previously, parents could sign forms to vaccinate for their children on religious or philosophical grounds. Main has eliminated these opt-outs, but now the only way families can waive vaccines that schools have cut off for their children is through medical exemptions.

Does that mean that Maine will have better protection?

Since the law came into effect, vaccination rates in Maine schools have skyrocketed, with kindergarten opt-out rates plunging from around 4% to 6% per year. The law comes into effect, reaching 0.9% Grade 2023-24.

Maine schools also achieved herd immunity for the first time since 2011, with 97% of all students earning shots for all vaccinations from 2023-24. Swarm immunity is when vaccination levels are so high that even highly infectious diseases like measles cannot spread.

“Our high vaccination rates are the reason we have never seen an outbreak of measles here in Maine,” the VA said. “We have such a good vaccination rate, so there's no opportunity for measles to spread.”

Should seniors get a measles vaccine booster?

Those born between 1957 and 1967 should check with their primary care physician to see if they need a booster shot. During that time, the vaccine given measles was weaker than the variations after the vaccine.

The VA said that if someone born during that period is usually immune to measles, doctors may recommend booster shots if their immunity is weakened.

This is a permanent recommendation, but the outbreak of measles in Texas and New Mexico has recently attracted more public attention.

Can Vitamin A prevent or treat measles?

Misinformation on measles prevention continues to spread, including vaccines and vitamin A.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.a secretary at New Health and Human Service and an anti-vaccine activist recently told Fox News that measles vaccines could cause measles. This is false.

Kennedy also has the idea that vitamin A can treat measles, but according to Johns Hopkins University, “Vitamin A is not a cure or prevent measles.”

Vitamin A is useful for measles that “a population with a high prevalence of nutritional deficiency and vitamin A deficiency, which is generally not the case in the US.”

According to Johns Hopkins, in some developing countries, vitamin A supplements can reduce measles mortality by about half.

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