Boise Airport measles alert

A person with measles passed through Boise Airport on Sunday, March 29, and Idaho officials say anyone there between 1:30 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. may have been exposed. Local health districts are also contacting Idaho residents who shared flights with that traveler. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) This kind of airport alert happens because measles spreads through the air, not just by touch. Idaho’s health department says the virus can stay in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) That is why the Boise window lasted more than six hours. Officials were not just warning people who stood next to one sick traveler at a gate, but anyone who moved through the same indoor air during that stretch. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) (cdc.gov) The first signs usually do not show up right away. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says measles symptoms usually begin 7 to 14 days after contact, starting with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, with the rash appearing 3 to 5 days later. (cdc.gov) Idaho officials are telling exposed travelers to watch for symptoms instead of rushing straight into a waiting room. Central District Health says people who think they have measles should call a health care provider before going to a clinic or emergency department, so staff can avoid exposing other patients. (cdh.idaho.gov) The reason public health teams move fast on measles is simple: it is one of the most contagious viruses doctors deal with. Central District Health says one infected person can spread it to 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people who are close by. (cdh.idaho.gov) Air travel has made those investigations more common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has been handling an unusually high number of aircraft contact investigations for measles since 2018, because contagious travelers can expose passengers, crew, and airport workers across multiple states in a few hours. (cdc.gov 1) (cdc.gov 2) Boise has seen this before. In September 2023, Idaho health officials reported a confirmed measles case in an unvaccinated southwest Idaho adult who had recent international travel and spent time at Boise Airport during the infectious period. (cdh.idaho.gov) (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) The main protection is the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, which Idaho says is given in the United States at 12 to 15 months and again at 4 to 6 years. Idaho also says infants can get an early dose as young as 6 months when they are traveling to places with known measles infections or during a local outbreak. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) So this Boise alert is not just about one airport morning on March 29. It is a reminder that a single contagious traveler can turn a security line, gate area, or baggage hall into a multistate contact-tracing job before sunrise. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) (cdc.gov)