Community Chat

[cherry]

snip

Who Does Not Need MMR Vaccine?

You do not need measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine if you meet any of these criteria for evidence of immunity:

• You have written documentation of adequate vaccination:
  • at least one dose of a measles-, mumps-, and rubella-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-containing vaccine for school-age children and adults at high risk for exposure and transmission, including college students, healthcare personnel, and international travelers
• You had blood tests that show you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella.
• You have laboratory confirmation of past measles, mumps, or rubella infection.
• You were born before 1957.*

If you do not have evidence of immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella, talk with your doctor about getting vaccinated. If you’re unsure whether you’ve been vaccinated, you should first try to find your vaccination records. If you do not have written documentation of MMR vaccine, you should get vaccinated. The MMR vaccine is safe, and there is no harm in getting another dose if you may already be immune to measles, mumps, or rubella.

If you received a measles vaccine in the 1960s, you 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.

[Laura14]

@cherry I met this criteria and I was not immune. Have your titers checked if you are at all at risk.

[cherry]

It's just easier to get the shot ,than to go through all of that

I'm going to ask my older sisters if they remember  me getting measles

[summerwind]

I was born in 1951 and assumed I'd had all childhood illnesses. Turned out, after my first was born, that I didn't have immunity, and my mom verified it was the one illness I hadn't had.

Immediately after my second, a nurse arbitrarily vaccinated me. Son and I both got a light case of measles, problem was, it affected my milk production. Had barely enough for him, and got a severe case of mastitis. Waited until after 3 months to go back to work, but breasts were still painful, and had an awful time expressing enough milk for him. Luckily, I worked for a very family-friendly company, they let me combine my breaks and lunch times, and leave to nurse him at baby-sitters. Finally quit when he was 6 months old, the company was leaving town, so they let me leave a few weeks early. I lost some of my severance pay, but it was worth it.

Wasn't sure if the shot was the cause of my issues, until discussing it later with another nurse. They should at least let you know!

[chrystaltree]

Why are people talking about shingles shots when she asked about measles???  I had measles when I was a kid but of course, I did not have any documentation when I took a job at a hospital.  I had 2 choices, let the check the titers in my blood that would show I had immunity or just take the MMR vaccine.  I chose to take the MMR vaccine that day rather than going to the lab and getting blood drawn.  OP, you should speak with your PCP about this.  It's a good question.

[qualitygal]

Just had measles as a kid.  I have the scars where I scratched, and mom kept yelling, don't scratch those!!! LOL

[CelticCrafter]

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@Bri36wrote:

You should have your blood tested to check for antibody titers.  

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@Bri36 - I had to be tested to make sure I was immune to chicken pox before the pediatrician would give my daughter the vaccine because I had such a mild case when I was a kid.

[ALRATIBA]

I had measles twice when I was kid.  My mother said the first time, I was only a few months old.  Next time ... I was in second grade.   I was old enough to remember this time and doctor making house call ... and me kept in a darkened room.  

In those days (1940s) people deliberately exposed their kids to "childhood" illnesses to develop "natural" immunity.  Good or bad?  Who knows.  No ill effects in my family that I can see.

My doctor said no need for any measles shot.  

[Sookie Says]

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@CelticCrafterwrote:

I'm 63 and none of those vaccines were available when I was a kid, so I had every single childhood disease there was.

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So sorry that happened to you as a child. I was very sickly too as a child, it sure isn't much fun, none of the kids ever played with me. Hope you are extremely healthy as an adult!

[Carmie]

If you remember,being kept in a dark room, you probably had the measles.  Kids had to wear sunglasss in the house when they had them too.

I know I had both types of measles....first time they were discovered the last day of school in the first grade and then I got the second kind during Christmas vacation a few years later.

I also had chickenpox...oh how awful...scabby and itchy.  My mom rubbed me with a alcohol and witch hazel mixture.  I can still smell that stuff in my head.  I have had the shingles too.

I have never had the mumps.