Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease caused by a virus, and can be severe or even fatal. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to protect yourself against measles is to get vaccinated. Here, TIME answers all your questions about the vaccine.

As of Feb. 20, there were a total of 93 measles cases reported in eight states: Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For comparison, 285 cases were reported in the U.S. in 2024.

There are measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico right now, and most of the people getting sick are not vaccinated. Children are also many of those getting sick in places where the vaccination rates are a lot lower than they are here in New York State.

A warning has been issued for three Texas cities after someone with measles visited them while contagious. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DHSH) shared the warning on Monday "so unvaccinated people may monitor themselves for symptoms and seek testing if symptoms occur.

Measles, a highly contagious airborne disease, can lead to severe health issues like blindness and pneumonia, with young children being most affected due to declining vaccination rates.