Summer travel raises fears that the highly infectious virus will spread. Here’s how to protect yourself and your family.
Measles, most unfortunately, is back in the news and in the air. In the United States, more than a thousand cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2025, the majority of them in an outbreak in Texas, which is still going on, and has resulted in at least three deaths.
Because measles is one of the most infectious viruses known, summer travel raises fears that it will spread, and that crowded conditions may place travelers at risk, either en route to or at their destinations. One of the most notorious outbreaks in the United States was, in fact, travel related: a 2014 exposure at Disneyland that resulted in well over 100 cases.
The good news is that there is an effective vaccine. Making sure that all your eligible family members are fully vaccinated before travel can help keep them safe, wherever your journey takes you.
Staying safe in airports, on airplanes and in crowded areas
One problem with measles is not only that it spreads so efficiently, but also that it hangs in the air and remains infectious for a couple of hours. It can also survive on surfaces.
So you don’t have to be in the room or on the bus with the sick person. The other problem is that the most infectious period begins before the signature rash appears — people who are coming down with measles often have extremely runny noses, and yes, there’s measles virus in the mucous, as well as in their breath and their coughs and sneezes.
Those who are vulnerable might consider masks in airports, airplanes and other crowded circumstances, which also protect against other infections. Those at highest risk — unvaccinated and immunocompromised people — should think carefully about avoiding crowds, especially indoors.
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