Ongoing measles outbreaks and the recent death of a child in West Texas from measles have many parents concerned. Most of the people who have gotten sick were not vaccinated against measles. This is a stark reminder of the importance of making sure your children are fully vaccinated.

In recent years, some parents have refused or delayed vaccinating their children due to fear or misinformation about the safety of the measles vaccine. This means there are more unvaccinated children, teens and adults in our communities.

It’s important to remember that getting the measles vaccine is much safer than getting the measles infection.

Occasional side effects of the measles vaccine include fever, tenderness at the injection site and rash. Rare side effects include a temporary decrease in blood platelets. The measles vaccine does not cause autism.

Measles was once a common childhood disease. While most children recovered from measles without problems, many others did not. In some children, the infection caused pneumonia and in a few, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain that can lead to blindness or deafness) and even death. Of every 1,000 people who got measles, 1 to 2 would die.

Before the measles vaccine was available, every year an average of 450 people died from measles; most of them were previously healthy children.

Measles is the most contagious infectious disease known. The virus can live for up to 2 hours in the air where infected people have coughed or sneezed, or on surfaces they may have touched. As a result, anyone in crowded public spaces may come into contact with measles.

The measles virus spreads easily through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs and someone nearby inhales the infected droplets. It can also be transmitted by direct contact with fluids from the nose or mouth of an infected person.

The most commonly recognized symptom of measles is a very high fever accompanied by a red or brownish blotchy rash, although this is not the only symptom. Others include cough, runny nose, fever, and red, watery eyes.

The recent measles outbreaks in the United States have been in unvaccinated people. Choosing to not vaccinate your children not only leaves them susceptible to measles but can also pose a danger for other children. This includes infants who are too young to be vaccinated and those who are unable to be vaccinated due to other health conditions.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy of Family Physicians all recommend children receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at age 12-15 months, and again at 4-6 years. Children can receive the second dose earlier if it is at least 28 days after the first dose.

High immunization rates in a community protects those who are too young to be vaccinated, including infants under 12 months of age. These infants are at the highest risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and death due to measles.

If you are not sure if you or your children have been fully vaccinated against measles, talk with your doctor to see if anyone in your family needs to be vaccinated. There is no risk to receiving measles vaccine if you have been immunized before. Measles is a live vaccine so children with certain immune problems or receiving some medications that suppress the immune system should not receive the measles vaccine. Your pediatrician is your best source of advice on vaccinations.

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Dr. Ratner is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases and the author of "Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children’s Health."

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