Measles is the MOST contagious airborne illness.
Vaccinated people are very well protected!
Who’s at risk?
- Infants under 12 months of age (too young to be vaccinated)
- Any unvaccinated or under-vaccinated person born after 1957
- Especially unvaccinated pregnant women
Should I get vaccinated?
You do NOT need the MMR vaccine if you…
- Already had two doses of MMR OR one dose of MMR plus a second dose of measles vaccine
- Already had one dose of MMR and are not at high risk of measles exposure
- Had blood tests that show you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella
- Were born before 1957
You SHOULD get the measles vaccine if you are NOT among the categories listed above, and
- Are a college student, trade school student, or other student beyond high school
- Are a Healthcare Worker
- Travel internationally, or are a passenger on a cruise ship
- Are a woman of childbearing age
What’s so special about being born before 1957?
People born before 1957 lived through several years of epidemic measles before the first measles vaccine was licensed. As a result, this group of people are very likely to have had the measles disease. Surveys suggest that 95% to 98% of those born before 1957 are immune to measles. Note: The “1957 rule” applies only to measles and mumps—it does NOT apply to rubella.