Symptoms usually start with a high fever, then a cough, runny nose and red and watery eyes. A rash usually appears three to five days after the first symptoms. Babies, young children and people with weak immune systems are at a higher risk of getting very sick from measles.

Some people may suffer from severe complications, such as pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and encephalitis (swelling of the brain). They may need to be hospitalized and could die. Measles can also lead to long-term complications that develop 7 to 10 years after a person has had measles.

If you think you have measles, call your doctor before going to the office.

The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated. Anyone who isn’t vaccinated can get sick, no matter how old they are. Two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles infection.

Talk to your doctor if you are unsure if you are protected against measles. They can tell you if you’ve received the recommended number of vaccines or have had a measles infection before. You can also try to get your, or your child’s vaccination records online. Visit CT WiZ: Access my Immunization Record for more information. For many adults and newer Connecticut residents whose older vaccine records may not be in CT WiZ, you can click here for tips to locate your records.