Close-up of a young child with a red, blotchy rash across the face and neck, with a pacifier in their mouth
Young girl resting in a hospital bed while holding a stuffed animal, wearing a blue patient gown and covered with a blanket
Close-up of a boy with a widespread red, blotchy rash covering their face, shoulder, arm, and torso
Young girl holding a stuffed animal while a healthcare professional wearing gloves puts a bandaid on her upper arm

MMR vaccine is highly effective in preventing measles. Children with measles feel miserable and must miss school. Some require hospitalization. The rash usually appears about 14 days after a person is exposed.

Image source: Canva

Why a Measles Collaborative? 

The US is facing its largest measles outbreak in 35 years.

Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Now cases are rising fast and deaths have occurred. More adults are getting sick, and infants born to infected mothers are being affected. Nearly all 2026 cases have been in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.

Measles is serious, and it is preventable. Two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97% effective. When at least 95% of a community is vaccinated, measles can't spread easily.

Outbreaks raise questions that cross specialties and settings:

  • Who has been exposed?
  • How do we stop the spread?
  • How do we care for patients at higher risk of severe illness?
  • How do we reach communities with information they trust?

The expertise and resources exist, but the people responding don't always have the tools or connections they need. The Measles Collaborative brings interdisciplinary, public, private, and academic partners together to:

  • Get the latest evidence-based information to clinicians across specialities
  • Share clear, trusted information with the public
  • Find gaps, share what works, and build new resources where they're needed

Our goal: bring local vaccination rates back to at least 95% and uphold the US measles elimination status.

What the Collaborative Does

The Collaborative grew out of the 2026 Measles Summit convened by NFID and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Its work focuses on current, evidence-based information on measles diagnosis and clinical care, outbreak response, infection control measures, communication, education, evidence gaps, and research.

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Help Move the Work Forward

Organizations can join the Collaborative as partners, and individuals can sign up to receive monthly updates.

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