When to get the measles vaccine

The measles vaccine is a combination vaccine that protects against measles and mumps, and rubella. For this reason, the measles vaccines is also called the MMR vaccine.

Children should get two doses of the measles vaccine. The first dose of the measles vaccine should be given to children between the ages of 12 to 15 months. The second dose of the measles vaccine should be given between 4 and 6 years of age.

The measles vaccine is very effective. People who received two doses of the measles vaccine as children are usually considered protected for life. Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. Before widespread use of the vaccine, there were an estimated 3–4 million cases and 400–500 deaths from measles annually in the U.S.

According to the CDC, very few people who get two doses of measles vaccine will still get measles if exposed to the measles virus. Even though measles has been essentially eliminated in the U.S., measles outbreaks still occur when the infection is brought into our country. This occurs when unvaccinated Americans or foreign visitors get measles while they’re abroad, and then bring the disease back with them. It also occurs when parents chose not to vaccinate their children.

The CDC’s measles vaccine schedule for children is as follows:

You should be vaccinated if you were born during or after 1957 and have not been vaccinated or never had measles, don't know if you have been vaccinated or had measles, or don’t have other evidence of immunity. If you are going to be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission, you should make sure you have had two doses of the measles vaccine separated by at least 28 days. Persons in high-risk settings include students in post-high school education, healthcare workers and those traveling internationally.

You do not need to get the measles vaccine if you were born before 1957 because it is presumed that the majority of people were infected with measles, mumps and rubella naturally and are presumed protected. People who were vaccinated from 1963–1967 with a killed measles vaccine should be revaccinated with a dose of live measles vaccine. You can get a blood test to determine if you have immunity.

Published June 2022.