Measles is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. In fact, the measles virus can stay in the air for up to 2 hours after an infected person was there: you can get infected by simply being in a room where an infected person once was. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to him or her will also become infected if they are not protected.
Dr. Erica Pan, California State Public Health Officer, explains how to stay protected from measles, one of the most contagious viruses in the world. Vaccination with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is the best protection against measles. Schedule your vaccine appointment at MyTurn.ca.gov or with your health care provider. Watch and share Dr. Pan's message in English on YouTube. Encuentre el mensaje del Dr. Pan en español on Facebook.
