Measles Is One Of The Most Contagious Diseases On Earth

With the Trump administration suppressing public health information, here's what you need to know.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of March 6, 2025, a total of 222 measles cases have been reported by twelve U.S. jurisdictions in just the first 65 days of 2025.

The current outbreaks are in:

• Alaska

• California

• Florida

• Georgia

• Kentucky

• New Jersey

• New Mexico

• New York City

• Pennsylvania

• Rhode Island

• Texas - where an unvaccinated school age child died in February

• Washington state

*On March 9, a case was confirmed in the Maryland/metro D.C. area.

But 201 of those 222 cases occurred in just New Mexico and Texas.

Many of the 222 cases occurred in schools or universities—where anti-vaxxers’ children are having an impact.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases on Earth.

Measles is more contagious than many of the diseases we take far more seriously in the media and halls of Congress.

Measles infection can result in severe and sometimes permanent complications including pneumonia, lung damage, brain damage, and death.

But unlike some infectious diseases, measles has a safe, effective vaccine that can protect us from infection.

We, the general public, can control measles outbreaks.

Are you at risk?

People born before 1957 in the United States were almost all exposed to a number of contagious diseases. When people boast past generations didn't have vaccines but they survived, yes, that's entirely accurate.

They're the survivors of past outbreaks of diseases that are now preventable. And the overwhelming majority carry measles antibodies from being exposed to the virus and surviving a prior illness.

If you were born before 1957 and don't know if you had measles, or know you definitely didn't, you're at risk of infection and should talk to your doctor about being immunized.

In 1957, the first measles vaccines became available to the public. These used an inactive/dead virus to create antibodies in the recipient.

The first live measles virus vaccines—which are more effective—were available in 1969.

So anyone born between 1957–1968 may not have sufficient antibodies to avoid infection. Consult your doctor about immunization.

You can have your current antibodies level tested and get a booster if your levels are too low.

Anyone can get this testing, but it's strongly advised by the CDC that those born 1957–1968 do it because of the longevity of the effectiveness of the vaccine they received.

Does it matter where you live?

It absolutely matters where you live. More densely populated states have more avenues for transmission.

Some states have higher or lower vaccination rates as well. The recommended level is 95% to keep those unable to be vaccinated from becoming infected.

A densely populated area plus low vaccination rate is the recipe for disaster. Looking at you, Texas.

The top 5 states for measles immunization are (yay, New England):

• Mississippi (highest rate in the country) 33rd in population density

• New York 8th in population density

• Connecticut 4th in population density

• Rhode Island 2nd in population density

• Maine 🎉 38th in population density

The states with the lowest measles immunization rates are:

• Colorado 37th in population density

• Wisconsin 25th in population density

• Hawaii 13th in population density

• Alaska 50th in population density

• Idaho (lowest immunization rate in the country) 44th in population density

New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are in the top 10 in population density and in the top five for measles immunization. That's responsible public health management.

Hawaii, however, is a public health crisis waiting to happen. 13th in population density, 3rd lowest immunization rate, and extremely high international tourist traffic.

What difference does vaccination make?

Not everyone can be vaccinated.

Some people have an allergic reaction to the vaccine. Others are undergoing cancer treatment. People with chronic illnesses may also be unable to receive vaccines.

These people rely on the rest of us.

If we as a population maintain the CDC's recommended 95% vaccination rate, one person with measles will infect 1–0 people.

According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases:

• 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles will be hospitalized (rate is higher in children under age 5)

• 1 out of every 1,000 people with measles will develop brain swelling, which could lead to brain damage

• 1 in 20 children with measles will get pneumonia

• 1-3 out of 1,000 people with measles will die, even with the best medical care

But I've done my own research—I don't believe in vaccines.

The anti-vaxxer movement really took off with a fully vaccinated Gen X.

Too young to remember life before vaccines, and having children after the internet took off, my generation decided watching a bunch of videos on YouTube and reading a book by an MTV comedian/nude model was equivalent to decades of specialized education and research.

Surely Jenny McCarthy’s opinions are just as accurate as any medical facts presented by Dr. Anthony Fauci.

So anti-vaxxers went from a fringe group to a mainstream movement.

In my culture, autonomy and self-determination are valued. But so is community responsibility.

We don't believe in forcing others to protect themselves or to continue to live against their own will. People should be able to walk on with dignity when they feel the time is right.

If people want to jeopardize their own lives and health, go for it. If they want to play Russian roulette with their children, according to the law of this land, they’re allowed to.

Traditionally, their children would be taken to be raised by someone who cared about their health and welfare, but that's not the law of this colonized land.

But those people should have to homeschool their children and not be allowed to work outside the home. Public schools and some workplaces require vaccination for a reason.

Just because some people want to get sick or die from a preventable illness or to kill or permanently impair their own children, they don't get to endanger everyone else.

That's where community responsibility comes in.

Again, most of the people who started the anti-vaxxer movement were fully vaccinated by their own parents. With no ill effects. Their own lived experience is proof their “beliefs” about vaccines are tataŋka čheslí (🦬💩).

Being an Indigenous Auntie involves certain responsibilities—one of which is honesty with those you care about.

So, honestly, if people refuse to vaccinate their children because they might catch autism, those parents are irresponsible, selfish a$$holes.

If people believe their own internet searches over actual scientific and medical research, if they believe the garbled mumbling of a guy who had brain worms over infectious disease experts, those people are idiots.

If you're not a selfish a$$hole or an idiot?

If you're unsure of your past measles exposure or your vaccination history, you can request an MMR antibody test or MMR titer test through your primary care physician, local clinic, or through some pharmacies or directly from a laboratory if a doctor or clinic isn't an option for you.

You can get immunized through your doctor, through your pharmacy, or at a vaccination event.

Contact your county health department—called a parish in Louisiana—for information on where you can get vaccinated. Most will also have reduced or free vaccines for anyone who is underinsured or uninsured. Philámayaye, Niawen'kó:wa, Merci, Thank you to

Amy Hengel

for this information about resources available through your county.

Stay safe out there, folks. 💛🤍🖤❤️