Measles information from DC Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics

What is measles? It’s more than a rash—it’s highly contagious and dangerous, especially for little ones. Stay informed, stay safe. Learn more from DC Health here : bit.ly/49iABbs

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world and babies are especially at risk for severe symptoms. Thankfully, the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and very effective at preventing it. The AAP and CDC recommend children receive the first dose of the MMR vaccine between 12 to 16 months of age. But what if your baby is too young to be vaccinated? How can you keep them safe from measles and should they be vaccinated early? We answer all your questions about babies, measles, and the MMR vaccine. If you have additional questions, talk to your pediatrician. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2vAR22u
What about Vitamin A?
Vitamin A, at any dose, does not protect against measles and no parent should give to their child vitamin A in hopes of preventing measles. Vitamin A is a micronutrient, meaning very small amounts are all we need to stay healthy and we get those through a healthy diet and in recommended doses of over-the-counter multivitamin supplements. Larger doses of vitamin A given over prolonged periods are very dangerous and can lead to vomiting, blurry vision, headaches, and, when more severe, liver damage and coma.
It is recommended, that under a doctor’s supervision, kids infected with measles be given vitamin A once a day for two days to reduce the severity of the illness. But that is a small amount in a medical setting. The only way to prevent measles is to get your child vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. Talk to your pediatrician with questions and learn more: https://bit.ly/4hKbZNK
Where can I get more information?  
Your child’s primary care provider is the best resource, but DC Health has other good resources that you might find helpful –  https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/measles.
That DC Health  page also includes a link to a chart showing vaccination rates for Measles at various schools in DC, including nonpublic and private schools  – https://dchealth.dc.gov/node/1409756  
Where can I get Vaccinations?
These two links are a good place to start –
Vaccination Locations in DC for Children and Youth – https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/2025%20Pediatric%20Locations_02_2025.pdf
Vaccination Locations in DC for Adults – https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/service_content/attachments/2024-11-Adult-Locations.pdf

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