Measles FAQ
Am I protected against measles? – The CDC considers you protected from measles if you have written documentation (records) showing at least one of the following:
- You received two doses of measles-containing vaccine; and you are
- A school-aged child (grades K-12)
- An adult who will be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission (including students at post-high school education institutions, healthcare personnel, and international travelers)
- You received one dose of measles-containing vaccine, and you are:
- A preschool-aged child
- An adult who will not be in a high-risk setting for measles transmission
- A laboratory confirmed that you had measles at some point in your life.
- A laboratory confirmed that you are immune to measles.
- You were born before 1957.
Do I ever need a booster vaccine? – No. The CDC considers people who received two doses of measles vaccine as children according to the U.S. vaccination schedule protected for life and they do not ever need a booster dose.
I am an adult now but only got one dose of measles vaccine as a child. Do I need a second dose? – If you were born after 1957, one dose of measles vaccine is sufficient to be considered protected from measles. Certain adults may need 2 doses. Adults who are going to be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission should make sure they have had two doses separated by at least 28 days. These adults include:
- Students at post-high school education institutions
- Healthcare personnel
- International travelers
- People who public health authorities determine are at increased risk for getting measles during a measles outbreak
How effective is the measles vaccine? – The measles vaccine is very effective. Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles of exposed to the virus. One dose is about 93% effective.
How long does it take for the measles vaccine to work in your body? – People are usually fully protected after about 2-3 weeks.