Measles is a viral infection that has ebbed and flowed along with scientific advances over the centuries. Highly contagious, its global impact spread with global exploration before the discovery of the source of its origins in the 16th century. Also known as rubeola , it is distinguished by coughing, flu-like symptoms, high fever, and the telltale skin rash that covers the infected person’ body.
Research commitments during the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations advanced to the point where the first significant vaccines were released in 1963. By the end of the decade, mass measles vaccination was fully implemented in the United States, followed by Europe, where the medical apparatus took a more nuanced, cautious approach.
“The availability of potent and effective measles vaccines, which have been tested extensively over the past 4 years, provides the basis for the eradication of measles in any community that will raise its immune thresholds to readily attainable levels,” said President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967 during a national campaign launched to eradicate measles. He added, “Effective use of these vaccines during the coming winter and spring should insure the eradication of measles from the United States in 1967.”
Presently immunization remains the most effective means of prevention, although outbreaks still periodically occur. As such, a potentially lethal disease in the developing world, as some 30 million cases and two million plus deaths are recorded each year.
Locally, the most recent upsurge took place at Los Angeles International Airport on March 5, originating on a China Airlines flight CAL8/CI8. The infected person then visited a grocery store in El Monte and a nail salon in North Hollywood.
Recent developments in the political realm have seen a rebuttal against mandatory vaccines. Possible ramifications were cited in an entry from January 2025 in The Lancet, the medical journal based in Great Britain:
WHO (World Health Organization) reported that measles cases increased globally from 8·6 million in 2022 to 10·3 million in 2023. Tragically, most of these infections occurred in low-income, conflict-ridden regions, where vulnerable populations are already struggling with inadequate access to health care. The general public should remember that measles still can cause potentially fatal health complications if not properly treated.
Outside of vaccination, an infected individual should drink plenty of fluids, get lots of rest, and above all be isolated from others to prevent the further spread of this highly contagious disease. For more on this recurring ailment, go to https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/history.html.