Traveling Abroad? CDC Now Says Get Measles Shots First

TUESDAY, June 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Americans planning to travel outside the country should make sure they’re vaccinated against measles — no matter where they’re headed, U.S. health officials say.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance last week to recommend measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shots for all international travelers, The Associated Press reported.

In the past, the agency mainly emphasized the vaccine for those going to countries with active measles outbreaks. Now, it says the risk extends far beyond those areas.

Ashley Darcy-Mahoney, a nursing researcher at George Washington University, said the change is a sign of how measles is spreading in new ways.

“We’re seeing a shift from localized outbreaks to transmission in transit,” she told AP. 

That includes airports and during travel.

Darcy-Mahoney pointed to a recent measles outbreak in Colorado that started with an international flight landing in Denver.

The updated guidance advises that all Americans 1 year and older should have two doses of the MMR vaccine and infants 6 to 11 months old should receive one early dose before travel.

More than 1,000 measles cases have been reported in the United States so far this year, CDC data shows.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air. It can cause serious illness, especially in young children and people with weak immune systems.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on measles.

SOURCE: The Associated Press, June 2, 2025