Measles in Oklahoma

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Ameasles outbreak in Texas is making its way into other states and there may be cases in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma State Department of Health is tracking cases or potential cases in the state. They also offer information on how to prevent measles and what to do if you suspect you or a family member who is not immune should do if exposed to measles.

A measles vaccine can prevent measles. Ninety-five percent of people need to be vaccinated for measles to achieve herd immunity. Herd immunity means that enough people are immune to the disease that the infection won’t spread. According to current data, only about 89% of kindergarteners in Tulsa County are up to date on their measles vaccine. The Oklahoma State Department of Health has a Kindergarten Immunization Rate Map so that you can see how your child’s school measures up in terms of immunization rates at specific schools. For example, according to the map, Patrick Henry’s kindergarteners have a 92.16% immunization rate. Owen Elementary is 98.08%, Holland Hall is 94.23%. and Eisenhower Elementary is 87.38% MMR immunized. You can find the map here: osdh.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=b50f576699f64c9dab2a424a2a8e8275

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), there have been four probable cases of measles reported in Oklahoma as of March 20, 2025.* All cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals. “Unvaccinated” is defined by no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before exposure. It takes the body about 14 days after vaccination to develop immunity to measles. Individuals are not considered protected if they have been exposed before immunity has developed. People are usually fully protected with the vaccine after about two to three weeks.

Preventing measles

The measles vaccine can prevent the illness and is usually given in combination with rubella and mumps vaccines (MMR vaccine) at ages 12 to 15 months, with a second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. If children have not received a second dose of the vaccine, it may be given at any age. The two doses normally provide lifelong immunity.

Vitamin A does not prevent measles. If you feel that you are not getting enough vitamin A, consult a health care provider. Supplements should be supervised by health care professionals. Vitamin A builds up in the body over time and there is a risk of developing vitamin toxicity with taking too much supplemental vitamin A. For example, during pregnancy, vitamin A toxicity can cause birth defects.

What to do if exposed

If you believe you or your child has been exposed to measles and they are not immune (either through vaccine or prior infection), stay out of public settings for 21 days, starting from the date of exposure. If you are exposed to measles, you are contagious from four days before the onset of a rash until five days after the rash, so even if a rash has not developed, you are still contagious. If you think you have been exposed, call your health care provider. The health department can help you with monitoring symptoms and advising you on returning to public settings.

Measles symptoms and spread

Symptoms of measles include a fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. These early symptoms begin to appear about 7-14 days after a person is infected, but it can be as long as 21 days. Two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white dots may appear inside the person’s mouth on the cheeks. Three to five days after the symptoms begin, a rash of tiny, red flat spots appear at the hairline and spreading down the body.

Measles spread easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can stay in the air for up to two hours after the person leaves the area. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of people exposed will become infected if they are not immune through vaccine or by being previously infected.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has launched a centralized location for measles updates at Oklahoma.gov/health/measles.

*Editor’s note: Oklahoma State Department of Health had confirmed seven cases of measles and identified two probable cases of measles as of March 25, 2025.