Public health guidance is available to support you in preparing for your event. Health risks that could affect your event include:
infectious diseases (including measles)
Encourage event staff, contractors, volunteers and vendors to:
Keep a record of staff, contractors, volunteers and attendees, and their contact details.
Send out a message to attendees, ideally at least 4 weeks before the event, encouraging people to:
Reduce the risk of measles and other illnesses spreading at your event by:
If you will have a first aid or health team at the event, make sure they:
Advise anyone with measles symptoms to go home immediately and seek health advice.
If a person with measles attended your event while infectious, the public health service will contact you to advise on the steps to take to help protect others.
You do not need to assess the risk, decide who might become unwell or give medical advice yourself.
Wait for advice from the public health service team before sending any messages to staff, contractors, volunteers, vendors or attendees about measles.
Measles is a serious and highly infectious illness. Most people with measles need 1 to 2 weeks off work or school. In the 2019 outbreak, 1 in 3 people with measles were admitted to hospital.
Measles symptoms include:
The rash appears as pink or red spots or bumps which start on the face before moving down the rest of the body. The rash may be more difficult to see on darker skin. The rash is not usually itchy and can last for a week or more.
Measles spreads very easily from person to person by breathing in air after a person with measles has sneezed, coughed, talked or even just breathed.
One person with measles could infect 18 other people if those people are not immune to measles.
For more information on who is at risk of measles, symptoms and how it spreads, see our Health Information and Services website.
Anyone of any age who is not immune can get measles. This includes anyone who has not received at least 2 doses of a measles vaccine, such as measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine, after the age of 12 months or has not already had measles.
There has been a rapid increase in measles cases in Aotearoa in 2025 and overseas outbreaks will mean more local cases resulting from international travel. Immunity levels here remain too low to prevent an outbreak, because not enough people have had both doses of the MMR vaccine.
People may attend events and other gatherings while they are infectious and before they know they have measles. Events at higher risk include those with large numbers of attendees who spend long periods of time together in close proximity, particularly if the event is held indoors with poor ventilation. Events with attendees who have recently returned or arrived from overseas may also be at higher risk.
Below is advice for workers and event attendees.
To be fully protected from measles and considered immune, a person must have received 2 measles vaccines after the age of 12 months or have had measles before. People who were born or lived in Aotearoa before 1969 are also considered immune.
Our Health Information and Services website has advice on how people can check their immunity to measles.
Check your measles immunity — Health Information and Services (external link)
This should include the dates the vaccines were given so people can provide evidence quickly to public health services if required.
People can do this by taking a photo or scan of the record and emailing it to themselves, or by printing a copy and keeping it in a safe place.
Being immune from measles protects people from becoming unwell if they are exposed to someone with measles. Having documented evidence of this means they can continue with their usual activities (including going to work or school) once this has been confirmed by the public health service.
Our Health Information and Services website has advice on how people get a copy of their immunisation record.
Get a copy of your immunisation record — Health Information and Services (external link)
Immunisations need to be given at least 4 weeks before the event to provide full protection.
For most people, it is safe to have extra MMR vaccines even if they may already be immune. People should talk to their GP, hauora or healthcare provider if they:
The Health Information and Services website has more information about the MMR vaccine and how to get immunised.
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine — Health Information and Services (external link)
When sending out pre-event information and communications, include advice for attendees to check their immunity status and, if not immune, to get immunised at least 4 weeks before attending the event.
If measles is circulating in your local community ahead of your event, the above information sheet is available to help you communicate the increased risk with event workers and attendees.
When required, public health service teams can work with event organisers to provide up to date information and advice about public health risks, such as current measles outbreaks. If you have any questions, concerns or need advice relating to public health issues, contact your local public health service team. They can support you with tailored messaging and information resources for your event.
Public health services would be very unlikely to advise against proceeding with an event because of measles.
If someone with measles attended at your event, public health services will need to rapidly identify everyone who attended the event or was present on site to provide them with important advice to protect themselves and others, and reduce the spread of measles in the community. Having a record of all workers (including volunteers, vendors and contractors) and attendees makes this process much faster.
To do this it is recommended that you:
Systems that can capture information can include:
Events with large crowds or those held indoors are at higher risk of measles and other infectious diseases spreading. If your event is being held indoors, it is important to make sure ventilation is adequate by opening windows and doors, or using a modern air filtration system. However, ventilation alone will not prevent the spread of measles.
Consider signage at the entrance to your event advising people to avoid attending if they are unwell.
If you have a first aid or health team at your event, make sure they know the symptoms of measles and have a plan for isolating unwell people and directing them to appropriate healthcare providers for further advice or care.
If someone at your event becomes unwell, act promptly, maintain their privacy and avoid unnecessary alarm for others. Advise the unwell person to go home and seek advice from their GP, hauora, Pacific or other healthcare provider or to call Healthline free on 0800 611 116.
Public health services are responsible for managing measles in the community and are always available, including after hours, weekends, and public holidays.
People with measles may only be identified after they have attended an event. This is because early symptoms of measles are usually a runny nose, sore, red eyes and a cough. After a few days the measles rash develops with a fever, and it becomes clear that the person has measles.
If a person with measles attended your event while infectious, the public health service will contact you to support you on the steps you need to take to protect staff and attendees. You are not expected to assess the risk of other people becoming infected or provide clinical advice to people yourself.
You will be asked to provide a list of all known event workers (including volunteers, vendors and contractors) and attendees (and their contact details and date of birth if known) so that anyone exposed to measles can be contacted by public health services and provided with important advice and support. Depending on the number of people involved, communication may be through bulk text message, your own event organiser communication channels, or individual phone calls.
If everyone who may have been exposed to measles cannot be identified or contacted, your event may be published as a ‘location of interest’ so that anyone who was present can access advice.
Measles locations of interest — Health Information and Services (external link)
Do not send out any communications to event workers or attendees until you have discussed appropriate communications and timing with the public health service team.
The public health service may provide template letters or information for you to share with workers and attendees about what they need to do next.