Colorado public-health officials are urging anyone who recently passed through Denver International Airport or attended Mass in Littleton to double-check their measles protection after an out-of-state traveler with a confirmed case moved through both spots while infectious. The exposures happened over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21–22, and while officials stress the risk is lower because the traveler was fully vaccinated, Arapahoe County is rolling out free MMR vaccine clinics for anyone who might have crossed paths with the traveler.
Where and when the exposures happened
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says the traveler arrived on Frontier flight 1279 from Miami at Gate A83 in Concourse A at about 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, then later departed on Frontier flight 1280 from Gate A76 at 11:29 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, with time spent in the main terminal in between, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Health agencies say passengers on those flights will hear directly from state or local officials if they are considered close contacts.
Free MMR clinics Wednesday
To make it easier for people to get protected, Arapahoe County is offering walk-in MMR vaccine clinics on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at two locations: 4857 S. Broadway in Englewood from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 6853 S. Prince St. in Littleton from 1 to 4 p.m., according to KRDO. Public-health officials say unvaccinated people who were exposed may still blunt or prevent illness if they get an MMR shot within 72 hours of exposure, the outlet reports.
Symptoms, monitoring and next steps
Health officials note that measles typically starts like a bad cold, with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, and that the telltale rash usually appears a few days later. Anyone who was at the airport locations or at St. Mary’s during the exposure window should keep an eye out for symptoms for 21 days after exposure, through Monday, March 16, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment guidance. If symptoms do show up, people are urged to call a health-care provider, urgent care clinic or emergency department before walking in so staff can prepare and cut the risk of spreading the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adds that measles is highly contagious and that the virus can hang in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a space.
Why public-health officials are concerned
Even with this traveler vaccinated, officials say the incident lands at a tense moment, with a national uptick in measles cases and recent Denver-area scares still fresh in mind. A previous DIA exposure was reported in May 2025 in a measles exposure alert, as per Hoodline, and Colorado Public Radio has documented rising case counts over the past year that left health authorities on edge. That backdrop is part of why doctors and public-health agencies keep hammering the same point: vaccination remains the best shield.
How to check your records
For anyone unsure about their MMR status, the state suggests pulling immunization records through the CIIS public portal or contacting a primary-care provider. People who were at the listed locations and later start feeling sick are urged to call ahead before showing up at a clinic, doctor’s office or emergency room so staff can put infection-control steps in place and avoid turning one exposure into several more, in line with current public-health guidance.
