Technologies

What Does Measles Look Like in Adults? We Ask Doctors Who Should Get Vaccinated Again

As measles cases continue to increase in the United States, this is what you should know about symptoms and your MMR vaccine status.

As of April 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there have been 10 outbreaks and 800 confirmed measles cases in 25 US states in 2025. Of these cases, 96% of those affected are unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccine status. There have been two confirmed deaths caused by measles and one death that is still under investigation.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that, primarily in West Texas, 624 cases have been confirmed. Both deaths also occurred in two school-aged children who lived in Texas’s South Plains outbreak area. Both children were not vaccinated.

According to the CDC, two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, while one dose is 93% effective. It is uncommon for someone who is fully vaccinated to develop measles. To learn more about measles symptoms and whether you need to get vaccinated again, we spoke with doctors for their expert insights.

What does measles look like in adults and children?

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious viruses with a number of symptoms to look out for — most notably a rash and fever, according to the CDC. The virus is spread through the air, and once infected, measles attacks your respiratory tract.

The Cleveland Clinic notes that there is no cure for measles, and measles just has to «run its course.» However, the best protection from it is a measles vaccine, which is typically given to babies in the form of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.

Measles typically manifests at first as a «very specific rash that starts from the face and spreads down your body,» says Dr. Yoshua Quinones, board-certified internist with Medical Offices of Manhattan. Other common side symptoms to watch out for include «high fever, cough, runny nose and watery or red eyes.»

Quinones adds, «Occasionally, you may see small white spots inside your mouth. These are named Koplik spots.»

While measles can and will make anyone sick, the CDC reports that it is especially dangerous for children younger than 5. This is because children have undeveloped immune systems and are at a higher risk of illnesses, making them vulnerable — especially if they haven’t been vaccinated.

How does the measles vaccine work?

The measles vaccine protects people from getting measles. It’s known as the MMR, because it’s combined with the vaccines for mumps (a contagious viral infection that affects the salivary glands) and rubella (another contagious viral infection that typically starts with a red facial rash). You may also see the MMRV, which includes a vaccine for varicella or chickenpox.

«The vaccine is a live virus that is introducing a very weak form of measles so your body can practice fighting it off,» says Quinones. «This will prepare your immune system to fight against measles if you’re exposed.»

One dose is typically given during infancy, with a second dose to follow a few years later. The vaccination is especially important for children because their immune systems are weaker. This is why both doses are recommended before they are in school, where they will be exposed to more children (and more germs).

Who should get the measles vaccine?

Measles vaccines are typically given to all children. The first vaccine is usually given between 12 and 15 months of age and the second one is given between 4 and 6 years of age before children go to school, according to the CDC. The ages can vary, though, as long as the doses are properly spaced out.

Vaccines can also be given to adults who haven’t previously been vaccinated or are not immune, although they typically only get one dose. Dr. Omar Al-Heeti, an assistant professor of medicine at Southern Illinois University who practices internal medicine with a specialty in infectious diseases, and one of CNET’s medical reviewers, adds that adults born during or after 1957 should have at least one dose of the MMR vaccine or presumptive evidence of immunity.

According to Al-Heeti, presumptive evidence of immunity is defined as one of the following:

Written documentation of vaccination with two doses of live measles or MMR vaccine administered at least 28 days apart
Laboratory evidence of immunity (positive serum IgG)
Laboratory confirmation of disease
Birth before 1957 (According to the CDC, although birth before 1957 is considered presumptive evidence of immunity, for unvaccinated health-care personnel (HCP) born before 1957 who lack laboratory evidence of measles immunity or laboratory confirmation of disease, health-care facilities should consider vaccinating personnel with two doses of MMR vaccine at the appropriate interval.)

The CDC recommends that adults who work in the health-care field, attend college or university, or travel internationally get two doses separated by at least 28 days, as they are deemed to be at higher risk for acquiring the infection.

Should you get a measles booster if you were already vaccinated?

Despite the ongoing measles outbreak, there is likely no need to get an additional measles vaccine — unless you aren’t fully vaccinated already or have proven immunity (previous infection/exposure).

«If someone is fully vaccinated against measles (two doses) and has not had a major immunocompromising condition occur (e.g., organ transplant), their immunity should be sufficient with no need for further dosages,» says Amesh A. Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

The first measles vaccine dose is usually given to infants and toddlers, with the second dose given during the childhood years. If the second dose was never given, someone could be at higher risk for measles and would, in fact, benefit from another measles vaccine now.

A recent report noted that some people originally vaccinated in the 1970s and 1980s may need a new vaccine because the original wore off. This could be because they were only given one dose and the vaccine has evolved since then, and it was potentially not caught in some people’s medical records.

«If you already have your full series, you don’t need an additional dose; however, I highly recommend checking your titers if you have any doubts,» Quinones says. «An extra shot will never add extra protection because you’re very well protected.» According to Mount Sinai, an antibody titer test measures the level of antibodies in a blood sample to see which vaccines you may need.

Ask your primary care doctor to check your vaccination status to see if your MMR vaccination is up to date and to see if you may need a booster. If it’s current and you are not immunocompromised, you likely do not need an extra shot. The CDC also notes that adults who have received a single dose and have «presumptive evidence of immunity» — documentation of vaccination or immunity — don’t need to get another one.

Who shouldn’t get the measles vaccine?

While the measles vaccine is generally considered safe, some groups of people are advised to avoid it. Quinones recommends that pregnant people not get the vaccine. It is also advised to wait at least a month after giving birth before getting a vaccine.

The CDC also recommends that people who had an allergic reaction to the first MMR vaccine hold off on getting the second dose. In addition, people with any «severe, life-threatening» allergies should consult their doctor before getting vaccinated because it may not be safe.

Those with weakened immune systems should also consult their doctor about getting the vaccine, especially if it is because of disease or medical treatment. If immunodeficiencies run in the family, this could also cause an issue with the shots.

The vaccines can also potentially react with recent blood transfusions so it’s not recommended to get the MMR or MMRV within at least three months of receiving blood from someone. You should also not get the vaccine if you currently have tuberculosis or bruise or bleed easily, according to the CDC.

The MMR doses need to be spaced out by at least 28 days, and you should also not get one of these doses if you’ve had another vaccine within 28 days as well. It’s also important to let your health-care provider know if you’ve been sick recently — with any sort of illness — so they can advise if it’s still safe to vaccinate. If you’re a parent bringing in a child for vaccination, also advise the doctor if the baby has been sick or shown any previous symptoms of concern.

Or if you were born before 1957, you may already have immunity.

Is the measles vaccine safe?

According to medical experts and the CDC, the measles vaccine is safe and effective. Some slight side effects may occur after getting the shot, but they are generally minor and go away quickly.

«The measles vaccine may cause fever, chills and muscle aches/pains in the days after injection,» Adalja said.

Quinones also points out that it’s possible to feel sore at the injection site following the shot.

Beyond this, the CDC reports that it’s possible to see some swelling in the cheeks or neck and in rare cases, a bleeding disorder that will eventually resolve itself. In more severe cases, it’s possible to have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, which would require calling 911 right away, especially if there’s trouble breathing, intense swelling or dizziness.

The CDC also reports a small link between the MMR vaccine and febrile seizures, but it is rare and not linked to long-term effects. However, the organization recommends that parents vaccinate their children early to lessen the chances of this occurring.

The CDC also calls out the notion that vaccines were once linked to autism and shuts down any possibility that the two are related to each other, citing experts and research. The CDC states, «There is no link between autism and vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative.»

Does health insurance cover the measles vaccine?

Typically, all Health Insurance Marketplace plans and private insurance plans offer the MMR vaccine (as well as other common vaccines) without charging a copayment or coinsurance, as long as you’re with an in-network provider, according to the CDC. Medicare likely also covers the vaccine, whether on Part B or Part D, and so does Medicaid, but it’s always best to double-check with your medical facility and with Medicare or Medicaid to be certain.

Military benefits can also vary depending on coverage, but the MMR vaccine will most likely be covered, as the CDC recommends it be covered across the board.

The bottom line

Despite the outbreak that is currently happening in the United States, people do not need to get another measles vaccine if they’ve already sufficiently been vaccinated. However, doctors suggest checking with your health-care provider if you have any concerns about the efficacy of the vaccinations you received and to find out if a booster shot could be necessary, especially if there is an outbreak in your community. If so, experts make it clear that the measles vaccine is safe and will protect you from the virus.

Technologies

Disney Exec Says ESPN Outage on YouTube TV May ‘Go for a Little While’

YouTube TV subscribers will miss college football on ESPN, ABC and conference networks for the third weekend straight.

More than two weeks after YouTube TV customers lost access to Disney’s streaming channels — including ABC, ESPN and the ACC and SEC networks — there is no sign of progress in the negotiations between the two entertainment giants.

At Disney’s fourth quarter earnings call on Thursday, Walt Disney CFO Hugh Johnston didn’t offer specifics on the ongoing negotiations, instead noting that «in terms of our (financial) guidance, we built a hedge into that (the YouTube TV outage), with the expectation that these discussions could go for a little while.»

Disney CEO Bob Iger ended the call on a more positive note, saying, «While we’ve been working tirelessly to close this deal and restore our channels to the platform, it’s also imperative that we make sure that we agree to a deal that reflects the value that we deliver.»

The disagreement causing the ABC and ESPN outage stems from the «carriage fee» that YouTube TV pays Disney to broadcast its channels. Disney has faced similar negotiating standoffs with other broadcasters in recent years, including an earlier 2021 outage on YouTube TV that was resolved in two days.

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Disney says YouTube TV isn’t paying enough to stream its channels. YouTube TV, owned by Google, has the most subscribers among all internet TV providers, with over 9 million. Hulu, owned by Disney, is second with 4.3 million subscribers through its Hulu + Live TV offering.

«The deal that we have proposed is equal to or better than what other large distributors have already agreed to,» Iger also said Thursday.

While the two sides wrangle over the fees, they risk further losses. Nearly a quarter of YouTube TV subscribers (24%) have canceled or intend to cancel their subscription because the service «no longer delivers the core content they signed up for,» according to a survey cited by Variety.

Disney, meanwhile, is losing an estimated $30 million in revenue per week while its channels are unavailable on YouTube TV, according to a Morgan Stanley research note cited by Variety. That’s a significant chunk of change because each week Disney’s networks are dark on YouTube TV, Disney’s adjusted earnings per share drop by 2 cents, analysts say.

When will ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels return to YouTube TV?

Disney is no stranger to carriage fees feuds, and as with previous disputes, negotiations are under wraps, and how long it will continue is anyone’s guess. Disney’s contract conflict with Sling TV in 2022 lasted just two days, while the one with Spectrum/Charter in 2023 wasn’t resolved for 10 days.

Disney’s contract conflicts from previous years were mostly resolved in a week or two, but Google has considerably more bargaining power than those other platforms.

Thursday marked 14 days that Disney’s channels had been blacked out on YouTube TV — a day longer than the Disney outage on DirectTV last year. How much longer this outage will continue is unknown, but the Morgan Stanley analysts who pegged Disney’s weekly losses at $30 million sounded an optimistic note in predicting that the outage will be resolved later this week.

When a deal is reached between Disney and YouTube, the missing channels will return «in a matter of hours,» according to Variety.

What are Disney and YouTube TV saying about the dispute?

On Oct. 30, YouTube TV posted on X, «Members, when we renew our contracts with network partners, we advocate for fair pricing to offer you the best TV experience.»

«Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deny its subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC,» Disney said in a statement to CNBC.

In a memo to employees on Oct. 31 that was also reported by CNBC, Disney accused YouTube TV of deleting «previously recorded shows and events from their subscribers’ libraries.»

«YouTube TV and its owner, Google, are not interested in achieving a fair deal with us,» Disney Entertainment co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in the memo. «Instead, they want to use their power and extraordinary resources to eliminate competition and devalue the very content that helped them build their service.»

Disney is also asking its viewers to ask YouTube TV to bring back its broadcasting via the keepmynetworks.com site.

Which Disney channels were removed from YouTube TV?

Sports fans aren’t the only viewers left sidelined by the loss of Disney channels from YouTube TV. Here are all the channels that have been removed from the streaming service:

ABC
ABC News Live
ACC Network
Baby TV Español (Spanish Plan)
Disney Channel
Disney Junior
Disney XD
ESPN
ESPN Deportes (Spanish Plan)
ESPNews
ESPNU
ESPN2
Freeform
FX
FXM
FXX
Localish
Nat Geo
Nat Geo Mundo (Spanish Plan)
Nat Geo Wild
SEC Network

How can YouTube TV subscribers watch football games during the Disney outage?

YouTube TV subscribers with an aerial TV antenna can still watch Monday Night Football and college football games on ABC if they live close enough to receive an over-the-air broadcast signal from a local ABC affiliate.

Other than that, the only real option for viewers who want to watch all of the college football and basketball games this weekend and Monday Night Football at home is to subscribe to another service that provides ABC and ESPN, including ESPN+, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo or DirecTV Stream.

Sling TV offers a $5 Day Pass that could be a good option for viewers who want to watch one specific game, as well as a $10 Weekend Pass that would give you college football and basketball games for both days.

For those looking to find football games at local establishments, this handy app can help you find places that are showing the games.

YouTube TV has given $20 bill credits to subscribers

YouTube TV had promised subscribers a $20 credit for the streaming service if the Disney channels outage continued for an extended period, and on Sunday, the streaming service announced the details of that credit.

Some YouTube subscribers receive the $20 credit automatically, and others need to claim it online. According to a YouTube spokesperson, subscribers who pay with Google Play billing or through their mobile service should receive the $20 credit automatically.

If you need to claim the $20 credit, you should have received an email from YouTube TV. To redeem your the credit, follow these steps:

Log in to YouTube.com with a web browser
Click or tap on your profile picture
Click or tap Settings.
You can also directly browse to the URL at https://tv.youtube.com/settings/service_updates.
At the bottom of the menu on the left, select Updates.
On the following screen, which explains the Disney channels outage, click or tap the blue button marked Claim Credit.

Emails from YouTube TV started going out Sunday night and several Reddit posters have already reported receiving the $20 credit. All of the credits for YouTube TV subscribers should be issued by Wednesday, Nov. 12, according to Variety.

The $20 credit will be applied to your next billing cycle.

We asked YouTube TV if additional billing credits would be offered to subscribers if the outage continues. A spokesperson replied, «This is a situation that is evolving, and we will let subscribers know of future additional credit offers. Our main priority is to reach an agreement that restores Disney’s content to YouTube TV.»

Correction, Nov. 5: An earlier version of this story failed to note that Sling TV day and weekend passes can be used to watch local ABC affiliates only in certain markets.

Technologies

Nintendo Says Newest Switch 2 Update Didn’t Deliberately Brick Third-Party Docks

Third-party dongle docks appear to be failing after the 21.0.0 update.

Nintendo released a new Switch 2 firmware update on Tuesday that came with a few albeit not significant changes to the portable console. It appears, however, this update might have bricked some third-party docks for the console in the process.

Switch 2 owners on social media say their third-party docks are no longer working with their systems after downloading firmware update 21.0.0, as first reported by Kotaku on Thursday. It’s unclear what in the firmware may have caused the issue, but it does appear that it primarily affects dock dongles, which plug directly into the Switch instead of the typical cradle-style docks that require the console to be placed in them.

Nintendo says it doesn’t have any intention to hinder or invalidate third-party docks.

«Nintendo Switch 2 outputs audio/visuals once it detects that it is docked into a Nintendo Switch 2 Dock. Nintendo Switch does the same, outputting audio/visuals once it detects that it is docked into a Nintendo Switch Dock,» the company said in an emailed statement to CNET.

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What third-party Switch 2 docks are affected?

As of now, the only docks that appear to have issues are the third-party dongle docks. Standard docks and the official dock from Nintendo are fine.

Can these Switch 2 dock dongles be fixed?

It’s unclear if another Switch firmware update can address the problem. It’s also unlikely that the manufacturers of these docks will be able to provide a firmware update to address any problems.

This is not the first time third-party docks have had compatibility issues with a Switch console. In 2018, Nintendo released the 5.0.0 update for the original Switch, which not only caused some docks to stop working, it also led to consoles using those docks having problems. A 2019 report from Wired found that some third-party docks tried to emulate the same quick connections to the USB-C port on the Switch like with the official Nintendo dock. If the hardware has a slight manufacturing defect where the connections weren’t firmly connected, it could cause the USB-C power port on the Switch to fail.

Nintendo does advise Switch owners to use official Nintendo products for the system.

What else changed in the Switch 2 firmware update 21.0.0?

The latest Switch 2 firmware update went live on Tuesday and made a series of quality-of-life changes to the Switch 2, such as changing certain text in the settings to provide a better description of their functions; adding an option to cancel multiple software downloads at once; and adding icons on software to indicate whether it’s a physical or a digital version. This last change refers to the Game-Key Card feature for certain Switch 2 games that do not have the entire game on the cartridge and require downloading the game files.

Technologies

Metroid Prime 4 for Switch 2 Delivers the Biggest Evolution the Franchise Has Seen

The next chapter in the Metroid saga lands in December with a major shift for the series. Here’s everything we know.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond seemed like it would never come out since it was first teased in 2017, but the newest adventure featuring Samus Aran is less than a month away. Nintendo released a trailer Friday that highlights the biggest changes coming to the series.

In Metroid Prime 4, Samus responds to a distress call from the Galactic Federation, which is under attack by a bounty hunter known as Sylux. A disaster happens, transporting her to the planet Viewros, and now she has to use her new psychic powers and some help from allies to survive the planet in order to find her way home.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Trailer

When does Metroid Prime 4 come out?

Metroid Prime 4 will be released on Dec. 4.

What consoles will Metroid Prime 4 be released on?

Metroid Prime 4 will be available for the original Switch for $60 and on the Switch 2 for $70. For those with the original Switch now, but who think they might get a Switch 2 for the holidays, the Switch version can be upgraded to the Switch 2 version for $10.

What’s new in Metroid Prime 4?

The biggest change in Metroid Prime 4 is the open world. Previous Metroid Prime games usually confined Samus to caverns, temples or a ship, but this time around, she’ll be able to explore the world of Viewros. To help her traverse across the world, Samus can ride her bike called Vi-O-La.

Samus is known for her arsenal of powerful weapons, but in Metroid Prime 4, she will have new psychic abilities. These abilities will let her manipulate energy and activate machinery with just her mind.

Scattered across Viewros are Galactic Federation troopers, whom Samus will rescue but also fight alongside. This marks one of the few times when Samus isn’t battling alien forces on her own.

Will the Switch 2 version have any unique features?

A new feature only available with the Switch 2 version of the game is mouse controls. Players can use a Joy-Con 2 as a mouse by placing it on a hard surface, which some gamers insist is the proper way to play FPS games. If that isn’t of interest, both Metroid Prime 4 versions will make use of the Joy-Cons motion controls or a compatible gamepad, such as the Switch 2 Pro Controller.