Measles vaccine

Protect your child against measles and its possible complications

Type of vaccine

Single measles vaccination (a combination vaccine for measles and rubella or MMR vaccines are also available)

Protects against

Measles

Primary course

1-2 doses

Boosters

None

Suitable for ages

From 12 months

What is the measles vaccine?

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness. The most common symptoms usually appear about 10 days after a person is infected and can include cold-like symptoms (runny nose, sneezing and a cough); sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light; small greyish-white spots on the inside of the cheeks; and a high temperature that may reach around 40C.

A few days after the first symptoms appear, a red-brown blotchy rash usually starts to develop on the head or upper neck before spreading over the rest of the body.

Although most people begin to feel better within a week to 10 days, measles can lead to serious and sometimes life-changing complications such as infections of the lungs (pneumonia) or brain (encephalitis). It can even be fatal.

The measles vaccine offers lasting protection against the illness.

The right vaccines for your child

We offer a single measles vaccination or a combined vaccination for measles and rubella. MMR vaccines are also available, which include protection against mumps. During your consultation, we will discuss which would be the best option for your child.

How does the measles vaccine work?

The measles vaccine is a live vaccine, which means that it is made from a weakened form of the illness. The vaccine stimulates your child’s immune system to produce antibodies that will remember and fight the measles virus if they were to be exposed to it in the future.

Your child cannot catch measles from the vaccine.

Who should have the measles vaccine?

It is recommended that all children are vaccinated against measles. We offer the single vaccine or combined measles and rubella vaccine as an alternative to the MMR vaccine given by the NHS. The MMR vaccine is also available through BabyJabs.

Measles vaccine FAQs

Research suggests that the vaccine works in around nine out of 10 children; the single measles vaccine has similar effectiveness to the measles component of the MMR. A single dose (provided it works, which can be checked by a blood test) provides long-lasting protection into adulthood.

There is some evidence to suggest that delaying the measles vaccine from 12 months (as recommended by the NHS vaccination schedule) to 15 months could improve its effectiveness.

Like all vaccines, the measles vaccine can cause side effects. For the majority of people, they’re mild.

The vaccine causes symptoms of mild measles in around one in 10 children about one week after receiving the vaccine. Typical symptoms include a high temperature, runny nose, sticky eyes and possibly a rash and/or vomiting, usually lasting two to three days. Treat this as you would any flu-like illness.

Approximately, one in 2,000 children suffers a febrile convulsion (fit as a result of a fever) after the vaccine. A febrile convulsion is more than twice as likely to occur after the MMR as after the single measles vaccine.

Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) – formerly known as Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura – is a rare autoimmune bleeding disorder that occurs after one in every 500,000 vaccinations. It can be serious, even fatal, though most children make a full recovery within six months. ITP occurs more commonly after the MMR than after the single measles vaccine.

Though this is not proven, there is some research to suggest that this is around one in a million chance of your child developing encephalitis after receiving the vaccine. This is a serious condition, which is fatal in 15% of cases. However, it should be noted that the risk of developing encephalitis after measles is around one in 1,000. This means that encephalitis is around a thousand times more likely with measles than following measles immunisation.

All side effects of the single measles vaccine occur at least as commonly with the MMR vaccine.

If your child has a history of dairy allergies or is allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine, it will not be suitable. If you’re unsure, your child should be tested for any suspected allergies beforehand.

It’s also important that you tell us if your child has any heart, liver or kidney problems, or if they’re taking any medication.

This vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy.

The measles vaccine is usually given in the thigh or upper arm.

The measles vaccine usually provides long-lasting protection against measles. We can perform a blood test to check immunity before deciding whether a second dose is needed.

The vaccination can be given at any time from 12 months. However, it appears to be significantly more effective if given at 15 months or later.

Some children only need one dose of the measles vaccine to develop immunity. Others need a second dose. We can check this with a blood test.

If an adult hasn’t been vaccinated against measles or is worried about their level of immunity, it’s possible to check this with a blood test. If needed, the measles vaccine can be given to adults, especially those in high-risk environments such as healthcare settings, higher education institutions or international travellers.

Yes, in most cases, the measles vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

However, Yellow Fever and vaccines for Measles or Measles and Rubella (including the MMR) should not be given on the same day, and a minimum interval period of four weeks should be observed between Yellow Fever and Measles-containing vaccines.

A Measles-containing vaccine can be given on the same day as a Chickenpox vaccine. Otherwise, a minimum four-week interval should be observed.

No, a skin test is not required. However, we may offer a blood test if your child has had a previous dose of the measles vaccine and we want to check their level of immunity.

The single measles vaccine was introduced into the UK in 1968 and was replaced by the MMR vaccine in 1988. The MMR vaccine offers protection against measles, mumps and rubella. The first dose is given at 12 months and the second at three years and four months.

Ingredients of the measles vaccines

On the tabs below, you will find ingredient information and links to the Patient Information Leaflets for the UK standard vaccines that protect against measles. Other suitable vaccines may be available for your child based on the clinical need, but this must be discussed during a consultation to ensure you are given the appropriate advice and prescription for your child’s needs.

Name: Priorix

Age: Suitable from 12 months onwards (can be given from 9 months in special circumstances)

Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline

Active ingredients: Live attenuated measles virus (Schwarz strain), live attenuated mumps virus (RIT 4385 strain, derived from Jeryl Lynn strain), and rubella live attenuated virus (Wistar RA 27/3 strain)

Other ingredients: Amino acids (containing phenylalanine*), lactose (anhydrous), mannitol (E 421), sorbitol (E 420), medium 199 (containing phenylalanine, para-aminobenzoic acid, sodium, and potassium); water for injections

*Phenylalanine may be harmful to people with phenylketonuria (PKU)

Mercury content: Nil

Aluminium content: Nil

Contains porcine gelatin?: No

Contains dairy products?: Yes

Licensed for use in the UK

Priorix patient information leaflet: Click to view

Name: M-M-RvaxPro

Age: Suitable from 12 months (can be given from 9 months in special circumstances)

Manufacturer: Merck Sharp and Dohme

Active ingredients: Measles virus1 Enders’ Edmonston strain (live, attenuated) – not less than 1×103 TCID50; Mumps virus1 Jeryl Lynn™ [Level B] strain (live, attenuated) – not less than 12.5×103 TCID50; Rubella virus 2 Wistar RA 27/3 strain (live, attenuated) – not less than 1×103 TCID50

Other ingredients: Sorbitol (E 420), sodium phosphate (NaH2PO4/Na2HPO4), potassium phosphate (KH2PO4/K2HPO4), sucrose, hydrolysed gelatine, medium 199 with Hanks’ salts, MEM, monosodium L-glutamate, neomycin, phenol red, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl) (to adjust pH), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (to adjust pH); water for injection

Mercury content: Nil

Aluminium content: Nil

Contains porcine gelatin?: Yes

Contains dairy products?: No

Licensed for use in the UK

M-M-RvaxPro patient information leaflet: Click to view

Aftercare

We’ll give you detailed aftercare advice for your child after their vaccination(s), including what to do in the event of any side effects.

As a reminder, side effects from the measles vaccine can occur 7-10 days after the injection is given.

Your child may experience some redness, tenderness and/or swelling at the injection site, so it’s helpful to expect this. These side effects should self-resolve within a few days.

You can download our Patient Aftercare leaflet here.

If your child is unwell outside of clinic hours, please call 111 for advice or go to A&E if they need urgent medical attention.

Individual advice about the measles vaccination

Need advice about whether your child should have the single measles vaccine, the combined measles and rubella vaccine, or an MMR vaccine? The BabyJabs team is here to listen and answer your questions to help you decide.