Patients do not need measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine if they meet any of these criteria for evidence of immunity:
Patient has written documentation of adequate vaccination:
>At least one dose of a measles, mumps, and rubella virus-containing vaccine administered on or after the first birthday for preschool-age children and adults not at high risk for exposure and transmission
>Two doses of measles and mumps virus-containing vaccine for school-age children and adults at high risk for exposure and transmission, including college students, healthcare personnel, international travelers, and groups at increased risk during outbreaks
Patient has laboratory confirmation of past infection or had blood tests that show you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella.
Patient was born before 1957.*
If patients do not have evidence of immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella, they should contact their primary care provider about getting vaccinated. If patients are unsure whether they’ve been vaccinated, patients should first try to find their vaccination records. If patients do not have written documentation of MMR vaccine, they should get vaccinated. The MMR vaccine is safe, and there is no harm in getting another dose if they may already be immune to measles, mumps, or rubella.
If patients received a measles vaccine in the 1960s, they may not need to be revaccinated. People who have documentation of receiving LIVE measles vaccine in the 1960s do not need to be revaccinated. People who were vaccinated prior to 1968 with either inactivated (killed) measles vaccine or measles vaccine of unknown type should be revaccinated with at least one dose of live attenuated measles vaccine. This recommendation is intended to protect those who may have received killed measles vaccine, which was available in 1963-1967 and was not effective.
* Birth before 1957 provides only presumptive evidence for measles, mumps, and rubella. Before vaccines were available, nearly everyone was infected with measles, mumps, and rubella viruses during childhood. The majority of people born before 1957 are likely to have been infected naturally and therefore are presumed to be protected against measles, mumps, and rubella. Healthcare personnel born before 1957 without laboratory evidence of immunity or disease should consider getting two doses of MMR vaccine.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact the Monroe County Department of Public Health by calling (585) 753-2991.