Measles cases leave some Erie County residents concerned. Do older adults need a booster?
David Bruce- People born between 1963 and 1989 may have only received one dose of the measles vaccine and should consider getting a booster shot.
- Measles is highly contagious but preventable with two doses of the MMR vaccine, which is 99% effective.
- Ashtabula County, Ohio, now officially has a measles outbreak with 10 confirmed cases
Erie County doctors and health officials recommend that some middle-aged adults check their childhood immunization records following the county's first two reported measles cases in 34 years.
People born between 1963 and 1989 might have only received one dose of measles vaccine instead of the two doses now recommended. In addition, a small percentage of doses given be tween 1963 and 1967 contained a less effective vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We certainly recommend checking your immunization records and talking with your primary-care physician about whether you need a booster shot," said Erin Mrenak, Erie County Department of Health director.
The advice comes less than a week after the County Health Department reported two county residents were diagnosed with measles after traveling abroad. The two adults, who are related and live in the same household, are recovering and did not require hospitalization, Mrenak said.
These are the county's first confirmed measles cases since 1991. At least 378 measles cases have been reported in the United States in 2025, including significant outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico.
"I do not consider this to be an outbreak," Mrenak said. "The two cases are from a family of seven and no one else is showing any symptoms. This family did everything perfectly. There was no outside contact."
One of the cases was unvaccinated and the other was "partially vaccinated," Mrenak said.
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection from which most people recover fully but can cause serious complications, especially in children. The most common complication is pneumonia.
There is no treatment for measles but two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is considered to be 99% effective at preventing the disease.
"One dose is fairly effective, 90% to 95%, but there is a segment of the population that doesn't respond as well, so a second dose is recommended," said Dr. Martin Van Dort, an infectious diseases specialist at Saint Vincent Hospital.
However, only one dose of measles vaccine was given for years after the vaccine was introduced in 1963. And from 1963 to 1967, about 5% of the measles shots given included a killed virus that wasn't as effective as the regular vaccine, the CDC reported.
How long does a MMR vaccine last?
Now that measles cases have been found in the county, Van Dort agreed that people who received their measles vaccines in those early days should check their immunization records.
"If you recall having measles or were born before 1957, you are considered immune from exposure to the virus," Van Dort said. "If you only received one dose, talk with your health-care provider about whether you should get a booster."
Most primary-care and pediatric offices have ample supplies of MMR vaccine. There are no current plans to have measles vaccination clinics, unless an outbreak occurs, Mrenak said.
Erie County's MMR vaccination rates steady in 2023-24
Erie County's childhood immunization rates for the MMR vaccine stabilized in the 2023-24 school year after declining since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The rates for at least two doses of the vaccine were 94.9% for kindergartners, 96.6% for seventh-graders and 96.9% for 12th-graders. That compares to 94.6%, 97.1% and 96.9% during the 2022-23 school year, and 96.7%, 98.7% and 98.5% during the 2018-19 school year.
"I like to see those rates at 95% or higher, which offers herd immunity," Mrenak said. "I am encouraged at where our rates are at."
Since the MMR vaccine isn't recommended until a child is 12 months old, parents should take precautions with their babies, Van Dort said.
The first step is to get an MMR vaccine if you are an unvaccinated woman and want to have children. The vaccine is not recommended once you are pregnant.
"If the mother was vaccinated, the baby has some protection from antibodies transferring," Van Dort said. "Then make sure the people who are around the baby are vaccinated."
Ashtabula County now reports 10 measles cases, nine are linked
Ashtabula County, Ohio, now officially has a measles outbreak with 10 confirmed cases, according to the Ashtabula County Department of Health.
Nine of the cases are connected to the adult male who was diagnosed last week as Ohio's first measles case of 2025. None of the cases were vaccinated.
Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.