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.

The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has grown to 90 cases across seven counties, the state health department posted online Friday, and 16 people are hospitalized.