Measles: When to Get the MMR Vaccine, and Do You Need a Booster?

Though measles was declared "eliminated" in the United States in 2000, it has never fully gone away. In 2025, the country has seen three outbreaks already (which the Centers for Disease Control defines as three or more cases), and the virus has continued to spread. As of the end of February, more than 160 cases have been reported across Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas, with one death in Texas (an unvaccinated school-aged child). The highest concentration of this outbreak is in Texas, with more than 100 cases in that state alone. With this elevated risk of contracting measles, some people are now wondering if their vaccines are working to protect them from this contagious virus -- and if they need another vaccination on top of the shots they may have already gotten. Here's what the experts have to say. What is measles? Measles is a highly contagious virus with a number of symptoms to look out for -- most notably a ... Read full article.