As outbreak spreads in Texas and New Mexico, do adults need another measles vaccine?

The number of people with measles in Texas increased to 146. And Eastern New Mexico is also dealing with 9 cases. The MMR vaccine is highly effective, and kids who get it will receive two doses.

But what about adults?

Most adults born after 1968 would have received a two-dose MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

But for those who are traveling internationally, work in health care or don’t know if they received the vaccine as a child, "here's no harm in getting the vaccine,” said Nicole Henry, a district leader and PharmD overseeing CVS pharmacies in southern Arizona.

“That’s definitely something that we can provide for our patients just to double check, especially if they don't have their immunization record or if they're not sure they received the two-dose series in childhood," Henry said.

In Arizona, there are counties with strong measles vaccination rates like Pima and Santa Cruz. Others like Yavapai and Mojave have low vaccination rates.

"People are considered to be immune to measles, in particular, if they received two MMR vaccines or if they were born before the year 1957. So those patients would be considered immune," Henry said.

People before before 1957 were likely infected naturally and therefore protected.