02/27/2026
What to do if you may have been exposed to Measles and aren’t feeling well:
People exposed to measles typically develop symptoms 7 to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a characteristic rash that usually starts several days later on the face and spreads.
If you were at one of the exposure locations during the exposure window and develop symptoms, immediately contact your health care provider by phone. If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or emergency department and explain that you may have been exposed to measles. Calling ahead helps prevent additional exposures.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and red, itchy eyes. People with measles can spread the illness four days before the rash starts until four days after. The incubation period for measles ranges from 7 to 21 days. Two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97% effective against measles.
Make sure you and your family are current with the MMR vaccine or have evidence of immunity, especially if you plan to travel internationally or to areas in the United States where measles is spreading. If traveling to another country or to areas in the United States where measles is spreading, discuss vaccination with your health care provider before travel. For most individuals, MMR vaccines should continue to be given per the standard MMR vaccine schedule. Unsure if you are current with the MMR vaccine? You can request a vaccine record for yourself or your child through the self-serve Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) portal.
An early dose of MMR is recommended for infants ages 6-11 months prior to international travel or to areas with measles outbreaks. Children 1 year of age and older who received one dose of MMR vaccine after their first birthday should receive a second dose of MMR vaccine spaced at least 28 days from the first dose before traveling to an area where measles is spreading. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks measles cases and outbreaks on its Measles Cases and Outbreaks webpage.
Health care providers should report patients suspected of having measles immediately to CDPHE or your local public health department. Consider testing patients with a febrile rash illness for measles. Collect a nasal wash, throat (oropharyngeal), or NP (nasopharyngeal) swab for measles PCR testing, as this is the preferred test for suspected cases. Collecting urine in addition can improve sensitivity, particularly later on in infection. We also recommend collecting urine as an additional specimen type in vaccinated individuals. Call CDPHE at 303-692-2700 (after hours 303-370-9395) to coordinate measles testing at the CDPHE lab, which is typically fee-for-service.
Health care providers can refer to the resources in the Healthcare Professionals section below for additional clinical, testing and infection prevention resources
Measles is a highly contagious and acute respiratory viral disease. Measles is caused by a virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person and spreads easily through breathing, coughing, and sneezing. Symptoms include rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, and fever.
Measles is rare in Colorado, but cases and outbreaks still occur every year in the United States. Outbreaks can occur when people at risk for measles get sick and the virus spreads to communities with pockets of unvaccinated people. You can protect your loved ones, yourself, and the community against measles by making sure you are up to date on your measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
