The CDC recommends that people of all ages protect themselves and their loved ones from measles, as well as vaccine-preventable diseases like mumps, rubella, and/or varicella (chickenpox), by getting the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) or measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccines. These are both two-dose vaccines traditionally given during early childhood when the immune system is weakest against disease.
Teens and adults should ensure they have completed the two-dose protocol to be best protected in the case of an outbreak. Two MMR vaccines are available for use in the United States: M-M-R II and PRIORIX vaccines.
If you are pregnant or believe you could be pregnant, contact your healthcare provider immediately to test for measles and discuss vaccine options. Pregnant people may be advised to wait to get the MMR vaccine until they are no longer pregnant.
Added February 27, 2024