Measles

MMR Vaccine For Adults

The MMR vaccine protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. All three of these diseases spread easily, so it's important to get this vaccine. (Photo Credit: E+/Getty Images)

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. (Rubella is also called German measles). Many children in the U.S. Are immunized as infants and toddlers. But not everyone gets vaccinated as a child. Many adults move to the U.S. From countries without immunization programs. World travel increases the chances of these diseases spreading.

Adults who were born before 1957 are usually immune to (protected against) measles, mumps, and rubella. This is because most people got these diseases as children before vaccines were available. If you were born in 1957 or after, The CDC recommends that you get the MMR vaccine unless you have:

Lab results showing that you're immune to all three diseases

Medical records showing you've had all three diseases

Proof that you've been vaccinated for all three diseases, whether you were vaccinated as a child or after

The three diseases covered by the MMR vaccine are highly contagious. Viruses cause all three of these illnesses, and they spread through the air. They can pass from person to person through coughing, sneezing, or just breathing.

Measles. This disease causes a fever, runny nose, rash, and in severe cases, hospitalization, pneumonia, encephalitis, or death. It attacks your throat and lungs. Vaccinations have helped stop the spread of measles in the U.S., but there are still cases reported. While immunization rates are on the rise around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there were 207,500 measles deaths in 2019. Measles outbreaks often happen in countries without strong childhood immunization programs. But outbreaks have also happened in Europe, South Africa, and the Philippines.

Mumps. This disease causes fever, fatigue, head and muscle aches, and swelling of your salivary glands. In men, it can cause the testicles to become inflamed. Mumps can lead to a loss of hearing, infection of the covering around your brain and spinal cord, and other serious problems. Mumps outbreaks do still happen in the U.S., but rarely.

Rubella (German measles). This disease can cause a fever and rash. It's especially dangerous if you're pregnant. Rubella can lead to serious birth defects, including heart problems, deafness, liver and spleen damage, and mental disability. If you have rubella while pregnant, there's at least a 20% chance your baby will have health problems.

The CDC says most adults born in 1957 or later should get at least one dose of the MMR vaccine. All women of childbearing age should get the MMR vaccine unless they're pregnant, have proof of immunity, or proof of already being vaccinated.

The CDC says adults at greater risk of measles or mumps should get two doses of MMR vaccine, the second one four weeks after the first. This includes adults who:

Have been exposed to measles or mumps or live in an area where an outbreak has happened

Are students in colleges or trade schools

Travel internationally

Work in health care

For measles, the CDC advises a second dose for adults who:

Were previously given a vaccine made with "killed" measles instead of the live, attenuated (weakened) vaccine used today

Were given an MMR vaccine between 1963 and 1967 but there's no record of what type.

If you were born before 1957 but can't show proof that you're immune to or had measles, mumps, and rubella, it's best to get the MMR vaccine. If you're a health care professional born before 1957 and you don't have proof or immunity or disease, you should get two doses of the MMR vaccine, given at least 28 days apart.

Adults don't need the MMR vaccine if:

They have proof of vaccination already.

They have proof that they've already had measles or mumps and rubella.

Adults who shouldn't get the MMR vaccine include people in these groups:

Pregnancy. If you're pregnant, you shouldn't get the MMR vaccine because of risks to your baby. People who get the MMR vaccine should wait four weeks before getting pregnant.

Life-threatening allergic reactions. Adults who have had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, a previous MMR vaccine, or a medication called neomycin shouldn't get the vaccine.

Medical conditions. Adults should talk with their doctor if they:

Have HIV

Have any other immune system disorder

Have cancer or are being given cancer drugs or X-rays

Are taking steroids or other drugs that affect the immune system

Have had a low platelet count (a blood disorder)

Have had a blood transfusion or took blood products

Have a moderate or severe illness

As with many vaccines, the MMR vaccine works with your immune system to build up protection by putting a small amount of the weakened virus into your body. The safest and most effective ingredients in the MMR vaccine used today include "attenuated" forms of each virus. This means they're live forms of the virus that have been made weak in medical labs.

For most adults, the benefits of the MMR vaccine outweigh the risks. A few people develop a short-term mild rash, fever, swollen glands, or pain and stiffness in their joints after getting the shot. More serious and rare side effects include a temporarily low platelet count or serious allergic reaction.

Call your doctor if you have trouble breathing, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, hives, weakness, or other problems after vaccination.

Can You Get Measles If You've Been Vaccinated? What To Know About The MMR And Boosters.

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Should You Get A Measles Vaccine Booster? Here Are The Considerations

The return of measles to the U.S. May have many people wondering whether they should get a measles ... More vaccine booster. Pictured here is an information booth for measles vaccinations offered by Harris Public Health in Houston, Texas. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Now that measles, which was declared eliminated from the U.S. In 2000, has re-emerged in this country, here's something you may be wondering about: whether you should get a measles vaccine booster. After all, drops in measles vaccination rates are what allowed the virus to sneak back into Texas, New Mexico and other parts of the country. And maybe you've heard about herd immunity, the fact that the amount of protection offered by vaccination does depend on the percentage of people around you who have been vaccinated or otherwise have immunity against the measles virus.

The Measles Vaccine Can Protect You Against Some Really Bad Stuff

It's natural to be concerned about the measles, since getting the measles isn't exactly a ho-hum thing, as I've written previously in Forbes. Sure, you may survive with just feeling like bleep for 7 to 10 days, going through a high fever, cough, runny nose, pink eye and the characteristic rashes. But don't be rash about catching the virus. It can essentially be playing measles roulette. You could end up with life-altering and life-threatening complications from this respiratory virus such as deafness, pneumonia, encephalitis and death. I've also detailed in before Forbes bad stuff like subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and immune amnesia that can arise years after a measles infection.

This year has already seen over 930 confirmed cases of the measles across close to 30 different states in the U.S,, which far exceeds the 285 cases throughout all of 2024. So far, the vast majority (around 97%) of cases in 2025 have been in people who had no record of being vaccinated. But note that 97% isn't 100%. Neither is the protection offered by the measles vaccine, which is typically well over 90%, very good but not perfect. If you've got the highly contagious measles virus circulating around, there is still the risk of catching it even if you've been vaccinated.

Children Are Recommended To Get Two Doses Of The Live Measles Vaccine

That's why it's been routine since 1989 for children to get two shots of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, otherwise known as the MMR vaccine, because that's how acronyms work. The vaccine also offers protection against mumps and rubella, otherwise known as the German measles, two other things that you'd be better off not getting.

The first MMR shot usually occurs in 12 to 15 month age range. The second in 4 to 6 year age range. This is a live vaccine, containing small amounts of a weakened version of the measles virus. Even though the virus is still "alive," it's not strong enough to cause a real infection and problems. It's sort of like Darth Vader without the Force or his suit. But your immune system will likely recognize the weakened virus as a threat and in turn build up defense in case more such viruses show up. Studies have shown that two shots of the MMR tends to offer around 97% effective protection against the measles for life. But again that level depends on how many people around you have been vaccinated as well.

Many studies over the years have also shown the MMR vaccine to be quite safe. Think about how many people around the world over the years have gotten the MMR vaccine. If the measles vaccine didn't have such a good safety record, you'd probably personally have seen more people have verified issues. The CDC has long noted that most people have no side effects. If side effects do occur, the most common are soreness at the vaccination site, fever, and pain and stiffness in the joints. Some people may develop a mild rash in the three weeks after their vaccination, but this isn't a concern unless they have also had a known or suspected exposure to the measles, according to the CDC.

If You Were Born Before 1957, You Don't Need A Measles Vaccine Unless You Work In Healthcare

If you were born before the year 1957, chances are you got the measles at some point. That's because the measles was a pretty widespread problem before, guess what, routine measles vaccination was in place. Therefore, if you routinely used terms like "hooey" , "booksy", "dullsville" and "drop-dead gorgeous" when growing up, you probably have "presumptive evidence" of immunity and don't need to get the measles vaccine even if you have no record of ever getting it. The exceptions are healthcare workers, who may need extra protection, especially these days, becasue of their higher likelihood of encountering the virus. You can check your immunity against the measles by having your doctor check your blood for antibodies against the measles virus. If you don't have such antibodies and work in healthcare, it's a good idea to get the vaccine.

If You Were Born Between 1957 And 1968 You May Need The Measles Vaccine

The first measles vaccine didn't get approved until 1963. So, there was a six-year period where you may have not gotten the measles and certainly didn't get the vaccine. Therefore, you could either check your blood for antibodies against the measles or just get the measles vaccine. Getting two doses is better than getting only one. But one is certainly better than none.

If you are at higher risk for exposure to the measles like working in healthcare or a school, traveling a bleep-load or planning to get pregnant someday, two doses is highly recommended. Wait at least 28 days after the first dose to get the second, though. This will give your immune system enough time to fully react to the first dose. It's sort of like how the Avengers needed some time to realize, "Hey, this purple guy, Thanos, is kind of threat. And we need to pull together our counterattack."

Even if you were born after the measles vaccine became available, there was a four year period when you could have gotten the inactivated measles vaccine instead of the live virus one. A vaccine with a measles virus that's been killed may not get the same reaction from your immune system and thus not provide as effective protection. Therefore, if you may have gotten the inactivated vaccine, it's a good idea to either check your antibody levels or get at least one dose of the live MMR vaccine now.

If You Were Born Between 1968 And 1989, You May Need One More Dose Of The Measles Vaccine

If you wore stuff like this as a teen, then you may need a measles vaccine booster. (Photo by ... More Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Getty Images

From 1968 through 1989, chances are you got only one dose of the MMR vaccine as a kid. That's because it wasn't until after 1989 when getting two doses of the MMR vaccine became the standard recommendation. Therefore, if you are later Gen Xer or earlier Millennial where the song "Pass the Dutchie" may be baked into your childhood or teenager memory, you may want to check your immunization records, check your antibody titers or just go ahead and get another dose of the vaccine.

If You Were Born After 1989, You Should Be OK, Unless…

If you qualify as a later Millennial or younger in the U.S. Probably, you have probably already gotten two doses of the live MMR vaccine and should be all set. States around the U.S. Required that kids get the vaccine to get and stay enrolled in schools. That was done so that everyone could protect each other. Such routine vaccination requirements are what helped eliminate measles from the U.S. By 2000. Things were seemingly all kumbaya leading up to then, at least, protecting everyone from measles-wise.

Then came that infamous article published in the British medical journal The Lancet in 1999 and authored by British physician Andrew Wakefield and some others. That paper suggested a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. The paper has since been debunked and retracted. Those originally listed on the original study besides Wakefield withdrew their names from authorship. Since then no other legit scientific study has really supported the claims made by the paper. Yet, for some reason, it's unsubstantiated claims have persisted and spread.

Therefore, one reason you may not be adequately covered as a younger Millennial, Generation Z-er, Generation Alpha-er or whatever is if you happened to have parents who bought into anti-vaxxer claims and potentially kept you from getting the MMR vaccine. If such may be a possibility, check your vaccination records or your antibody titer. Again, not having gotten two doses of the MMR vaccine will leave you at much higher risk for getting the measles and all the bad stuff associated with it.

There Are Legitimate Medical Reasons Not To Get The Measles Vaccine

There are some legit reasons not to get the measles vaccine. One is if you are under six months of age. Your immune system may not be ready to fully react to the measles vaccine. So, enjoy your cooing and pooping in your diapers for now until you are old enough. By the way, if you are that young and can somehow read this, congratulations.

Another reason is if you've had a severe allergic reaction to the MMR vaccine previously. This is uncommon. But if you've had such a reaction before, no real doctor should say, "Oh, just tough it out a second time."

You also may want to be extra careful if you have some sort of bleeding condition. If your blood doesn't clot as well, getting a needle or anything else for that matter stuck into your skin and muscles could lead to complications. In such a situation, talk to your doctor about what to do and what precautions to take.

The same applies if your immune system is weakened for whatever reason. This may because you have an immunological disease or are receiving immune system suppressing medications like chemotherapy. A weakened immune system may not respond to the virus in the vaccine properly. If you have a family history of immune system problems, it's a good idea to check with your doctor to see if you have such an issue too.

There are temporary reasons as well to hold off on getting the measles vaccine for now. One is if you are pregnant. Another is if you are sick with an infection. A third is if you've had a blood transfusion within three months. If you have any of the aforementioned conditions or any doubts, ask your doctor rather than relying on something like social media, some politician or that dude in the coffee shop to determine what to do.

But Remember A Lot Misinformation And Disinformation Is Being Spread About The Measles Vaccine

Your doctor, assuming that it's a real legit medical doctor, can also help you determine whether you should get another dose of the measles vaccine. The trouble is that social media and speeches from politicians have become like the walls of public bathroom toilet stalls. You can find lots of bleep being said that isn't really backed by that thing called science. Instead stick to legitimate medical and scientific sources when it comes to the measles vaccine and any vaccine for that matter. That will help immunize yourself against two other threats that have been spreading rapidly: misinformation and disinformation.

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