On April 16, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported measles exposures in Fredericksburg and Woodbridge, marking the reemergence of the disease once considered a worry of the past.
Measles, or rubeola, is a highly contagious disease and the result of the measles virus. The disease was considered eliminated in the United States for more than 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Still, cases in the U.S. persist due to unvaccinated travelers and saw a spike in late February.
“Unfortunately, measles is highly contagious; measles spreads to the air and droplets, and can last in air up to two hours,” school nurse Karen Reyna Estrada said. “So even If you come in thirty minutes after the person with measles leaves, you can still get measles.”
Unvaccinated people are high-risk, but there are also those particularly vulnerable. According to Estrada, these groups include immunocompromised individuals, children under five years old and pregnant women. Those who were in areas of exposure were instructed by the VDH to watch for symptoms in the following 21 days.
“If somebody has been exposed, has traveled outside the country where there is a high rate of measles or if they show any symptoms, the first thing we will ask them is to go see their primary care provider because the doctor can determine if they have measles,” Estrada said.
Estrada describes symptoms of measles as a fever of 104°F, a runny nose and a cough as well as conjunctivitis, which are red watery eyes. The main symptom of measles is a rash all over the body, usually starting from the hairline.
“Doctors are mandated to report [measles cases] to the health department,” Estrada said. “The health department will then follow up with the [person with measles] and see if there’s any close contacts. They will tell them to quarantine, because there’s not really a treatment for measles. Once you have it, you just have to wait until it’s gone.”
The CDC reported that 97% of those infected with measles in 2025 were unvaccinated or of unknown vaccination status. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, and it is uncommon for those who have received both doses of the vaccine to get infected. As of April 23, there have been no reported measles cases in Fairfax County. Still, Estrada stresses the importance of taking measures to stay protected.
“If you are not vaccinated, it can increase the risk of getting measles,” Estrada said. “People who are vaccinated should know that they are protected from all these viruses. If it’s something like the flu, they should be doing it every year. If people have never been vaccinated for any other viruses, they should consider getting vaccinated.”
