More than 100 cases of measles have been reported in 14 states.
"This is unfortunate because this is a preventable disease and it's a disease that has a number of potential dangers," said Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, Chief of the Infectious Diseases Section for St. Luke's University Health Network.
"It is the most contagious disease."
Dr. Jahre said there are only a few groups of people who should not get the measles vaccine.
"If someone has a history of allergy to the vaccine, if someone has a problem with their immune system to or if someone is pregnant or about to become pregnant in the next four weeks, they should not get the vaccine," he explained.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends children get two doses of the MMR vaccine: the first between 12 and 15 months-old and the second between four and six years of age. According to the CDC, one dose is about 93 percent effective and two doses are about 97 percent effective at preventing the disease.
"Anyone born before 1957 is considered to be immune to measles because it was so pervasive," said Dr. Jahre.
There are some people who may have received an inactivated vaccine without the live virus that was not effective between 1963 and 1967. In that case, you may need a booster.
"If you were one of those individuals who got that inactivated version that was available between 1963 and 1967 then you probably ought to have your immunity checked," said Dr. Jahre. "A simple blood test can be done to show whether you have immunity or not to measles."
He said, "Prevention is always better than cure because we don't really have a cure once you actually have measles."
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