What you need to know about getting the measles vaccine — Sahan Journal

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How to protect yourself and others from measles

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The vaccine that protects people from measles, mumps, and rubella is highly effective at preventing measles.

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Who should get vaccinated?

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Children should get the first dose of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine when they’re about 12 to 15 months old. If a child younger than 12 months old is traveling to a country where measles is endemic, a doctor may recommend they receive the vaccine early.

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The second dose of the vaccine, which is known as the MMR vaccine, is given around 4 to 6 years of age.

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Older children and adults who haven’t been vaccinated or exposed to the virus should get vaccinated as well.

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“It’s never too late to get caught up on the MMR vaccine,” said Annie Fedorowicz, an 

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immunization coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Health. “I think sometimes families think of the MMR vaccine as something you do in the young baby/toddler stage of life, so we’ve been reminding folks who may not have gotten the MMR during the pandemic or because of misinformation that it’s not too late.”

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If you aren’t sure if you’ve been vaccinated or exposed to the virus, ask your health care provider for a test to see if you have antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella, said Gwantwa Mwakalundwa, who teaches biology and virology at Metro State University.

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What if I’m traveling?

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It’s especially important to make sure you’re protected from measles before traveling to countries where the disease is endemic. 

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Take this quiz from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to see if you should get the measles vaccine before you travel:

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Who should not get the measles vaccine?

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If you’re pregnant or immunocompromised, talk to your health care provider first. If your child has allergies, you’ll also want to talk to your health care provider first.

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What if you’re not sure?

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Find health care professionals you can trust in your community, Mwakalundwa advises.

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“Go to them and talk to them and don’t talk to just one; talk to two or three and then make an informed decision,” she said.

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Are there other options?

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Another combination shot, the measles, mumps, rubella, varicella vaccine, protects against varicella, or chicken pox in addition to the original three diseases.

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