Self-Qualify Your Measles Immunity Online

If you are planning a trip outside of the USA this summer, it is now easy to check whether you need another measles vaccine. 

With 192 countries reporting over 230,000 measles cases as of June 12th, 2019, international travelers are at risk of measles infection if they are not fully protected.

In the United States, most of the measles cases during 2019 were related to international travelers. 

To respond to this need, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an updated digital application on July 1, 2019, that enables international travelers to quickly and privately self-qualify an assessment whether or not they need a measles vaccination before departure. 

This digital app evaluates all available evidence and updates vaccination recommendations as new information becomes available, says the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). 

The NCIRD focuses on the prevention of disease, disability, and death through immunization and by control of respiratory and related diseases. 

One important feature of this CDC measles app is user-privacy. 

All of the CDC’s digital media follows the CDC.gov privacy policy, which includes, but is not limited to, the following disclosures:

• The CDC will not share or sell any personal information obtained from users with any other organization or government agency except as required by law. 
• Additional CDC online policies and regulations

“Measles, mumps, and rubella are very contagious viral diseases which are spread through coughing and sneezing. Vaccinating yourself not only protects you but also your loved ones that cannot receive vaccinations due to age or medical conditions,” said Anh Le, pharmacy intern for Brookshires Grocery Company.  

“MMR-containing vaccine is widely used around the world to save lives, so it is highly recommended for all children and adults, especially if you are planning to travel out of the country. Stop by your local pharmacy or doctor office for more information."

Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, 90 percent of the people close to that person who are not immune to the virus will also become infected. 

You should plan to be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks before you depart. If your trip is less than 2 weeks away and you’re not protected against measles, you should still get a dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.   

Two doses of MMR vaccine provide 97 percent protection against measles.

To schedule a pre-trip vaccine and medication counseling session with a local pharmacy, please visit Vax-Before-Travel.

Recent measles news:

• Is Wimbledon Requiring Measles Immunity From Patrons?
• Top 10 Travel Alerts and Vaccines for Summer 2019

As of June 10, 2019, the CDC updated its private sector vaccine prices for general information.   

And, the CDC’s Vaccines For Children program offers vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. 

Additional financial support programs can be found at Vaccine Discounts.   

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. You are encouraged to report vaccine side effects to the CDC.