Measles is one of the most highly contagious diseases, but is preventable through vaccination. The measles virus is spread through coughing and sneezing. Before widespread use of measles vaccines there was an average of half a million measles cases and hundreds of deaths each year in the United States.

Measles is common in many parts of the world, including both industrialized and developing countries. Local cases of measles are often linked to travel or exposure to recent travelers. Worldwide, more than 20 million people are infected each year. Measles is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable death among children in the world.

Resources for the general public

• About the measles vaccine and where to get it
• MMR & Autism: Unraveling the Myth
• Questions and answers about measles
• Measles Vaccine: Our Best Protection (flyer), WA State Dept. of Health
• Measles in Washington, WA State Dept. of Health
• How to document your immunity from measles to avoid staying home from work, school and childcare if you are exposed

Resources for child care facilities and schools

• Measles in child care facilities and schools
• Letter to school nurses
• School susceptible list
• School immunization rates in King County
• School and Child Care Immunization, WA State Dept. of Health

Resources for health care professionals

• Measles (acute disease only) is a reportable condition in King County: See disease reporting requirements
• Pink Book chapter on measles, CDC
• Measles resources for health care professionals, CDC

Questions & Answers

Measles vaccine

Chinese 繁體中文

Korean 한국어

Russian Русский

Somali Soomaali

Spanish Español

Ukrainian Українська

Vietnamese Tiếng Việt

Measles information flyer for families (PDF)

• የኩፍኝ በሽታ (አማርኛ / Amharic)
• الحصبة (العربية / Arabic)
• ဝက္သက္ေရာဂါ (မြန်မာဘာသာ / Burmese)
• 麻疹 (简体中文 / Chinese, Simplified)
• 麻疹 (繁體中文 / Chinese, Traditional)
• سرخکان (دری / Dari)
• खसरा (हिन्दी / Hindi)
• ជំងឺក្រញជល (ភាសាខ្មែរ / Khmer)
• 홍역 (한국어 / Korean)
• Measles (book aidrik) (Kajin M̧ajeļ / Marshallese)
• दादरुा (नेपाली / Nepali)
• شری (پښتو / Pashto)
• КОРЬ (Русский / Russian)
• Jadeeco (af Soomaali / Somali)
• Sarampión (Español / Spanish)
• Ukambi (Kiswahili / Swahili)
• Кір (Українська / Ukrainian)
• Bệnh sởi (Tiếng Việt / Vietnamese)

Measles: What you should know

Infographic from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department available in multiple languages.

What counts as evidence of immunity?

Link/share our site at www.kingcounty.gov/measles