Measles Vaccination

Measles can be prevented by the combination MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. In the decade before the measles vaccination program began, an estimated 3–4 million people in the United States were infected each year, of whom 400–500 died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and another 1,000 developed chronic disability from measles encephalitis. Widespread use of measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles cases in the United States compared with the pre-vaccine era, and in 2012, only 55 cases of measles were reported in the United States.

However, measles is still common in other countries. The virus is highly contagious and can spread rapidly in areas where vaccination is not widespread. It is estimated that in 2008 there were 164,000 measles deaths worldwide—that equals about 450 deaths every day or about 18 deaths every hour.

For Those Getting Vaccinated

Vaccination recommendations and other useful information about the measles vaccine

Measles Vaccine Basics
Beliefs & Concerns
Vaccine Safety
Who Should Not be Vaccinated?
Where to Get MMR Vaccine
- Parents, work with your child's healthcare provider on doses and timing
- Adults, see Finding and Paying for Vaccines or use the Healthmap Vaccine Finder

Clinical Information for Healthcare Professionals

Measles references and resources, provider education tools, and materials for patients

Vaccination Coverage

Estimates of the number of people living in the U.S. who have been received particular vaccines at the national, state, and local levels using results from the National Immunization Survey.