US health officials have released travel advice that recommends international travelers get vaccinated against measles. This guidance comes at the same time as measles cases in countries around the world, particularly in Europe, are increasing.
If previously the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged those who wanted to visit countries with outbreaks get vaccinated, the agency has now urged all travelers who plan to go overseas to get their shots. Researchers say that the update to the travel advice was prompted following evidence that people can become infected with measles even if they don’t visit affected countries, as they may still become exposed to the virus in airplanes or during the time of travel and transit.
In line with the European Union guidelines, the CDC recommends two doses for all American travelers who are one year and older, and one early dose for infants who are between the ages of six to 11 months.
Indeed, back in 2000, measles was declared eradicated in the US. However, that all changed less than 20 years later, when a measles epidemic took hold in 2019. The number of cases reached a high not seen since 1992, the majority of which were attributed to unvaccinated children. A highly infectious disease, cases have been reported each year since 2019 and it looks like measles won't completely disappear anytime soon.
But how dangerous is it? And what should you do if you think you have symptoms? Click on this gallery to discover how dangerous measles is.