Protecting your child against measles, mumps and rubella
Answers to the most common questions from parents and caregivers about MMR vaccination
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With the decline in vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, measles cases are rising in Europe and Central Asia. Children who have not been fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine remain at the greatest risk of catching the measles virus that can lead to pneumonia, lifelong brain damage, hearing loss and even death.
The vast majority of doctors and scientists worldwide advise on MMR vaccination and trust the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. The MMR vaccine protects your child from measles, mumps, and rubella.
UNICEF answers your questions about measles, mumps, rubella and the MMR vaccine.
What is measles?
Measles is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. It can spread to others when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Other people can become infected if they breathe the contaminated air or touch an infected surface and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.
The measles virus can live for up to two hours in the air. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.
Even though many people know about the disease because of the rash it causes on the skin of the infected person, measles can also cause a high fever, cough and a runny nose. In severe cases, it causes pneumonia, respiratory and neurological complications and can be fatal.
Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus, and usually include a high fever, a cough, a runny nose and watery eyes. The measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms.
The best way to protect the child against measles is to make sure they get the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine.
What is mumps?
Mumps is a very contagious viral disease. We can catch it from an infected person who sneezes or coughs near us. It also spreads when an infected person touches their nose or mouth and then touches a surface someone else may touch.
The symptoms are often mild and usually take a few days to appear. The most noticeable are swollen cheeks and neck pain in the area between the ear and jaw. Other symptoms include headache, a mild fever, a loss of appetite, sore throat and painful chewing.
But mumps can have serious consequences, including hearing loss, heart problems and damage to the brain and spinal cord. There is no treatment for mumps.
The best way to protect our children from mumps infection is to make sure they are vaccinated. The MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine is an incredibly safe combination vaccine that can protect our children against all three diseases with the same injection.
Please vaccinate your child against dangerous diseases at the right time – in line with your national immunization schedule, and talk to your child's doctor if you have any other questions about mumps and the MMR vaccine.
You can get the national immunization schedule of your country from your doctor or the Ministry of Health’s website.
What is rubella?
Rubella is a contagious viral infection. We can catch it when an infected person coughs or sneezes near us. It also spreads when we touch a surface that has been contaminated with the rubella virus by being touched by someone who is infected, and then touch our own eyes, mouth or nose.
Rubella used to be called ‘German measles’, and some people still call it that name today, but it is not caused by the same virus that causes measles.
Young children who catch rubella usually have mild symptoms that take 2-3 weeks to appear. The most common symptom is a red rash on parts of the body. Other symptoms include mild fever, nausea and mild conjunctivitis.
But rubella is very dangerous for pregnant women who are not vaccinated and for their developing babies. It's very important that all women are protected from rubella before they get pregnant. Rubella causes the most severe damage when a mother is infected early in her pregnancy, especially in the first 12 weeks (first trimester).
Unvaccinated pregnant women who contract rubella are at risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. Their developing babies are at risk of severe birth defects, including hearing deficiencies, eye and heart defects and other lifelong disabilities, such as autism, diabetes mellitus and thyroid problems.
The best way to protect ourselves against rubella and its consequences is to get vaccinated. Please follow your national immunization schedule to make sure that you don’t miss or delay the vaccines, and please talk to your child’s doctor if you have any more questions about rubella.
You can get the national immunization schedule of your country from your doctor or the Ministry of Health’s website.
What is the MMR vaccine?
The MMR vaccine protects our children from measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). These diseases can cause severe harm and even death. That's why vaccination against them is so important to help our children grow up healthy and protected!
The MMR vaccine has been used since the 1970s and has been given safely to more than 500 million children worldwide. It combines protection against three diseases into one shot. So our children need fewer injections! Fewer shots can also mean less pain for our child and less stress for us.
The MMR vaccine is given in two doses. The first is given around our child’s first birthday (from 12 to 15 months of age), and the second dose when our child is around 5 or 6 years of age.
Please remember, when we do not vaccinate our children, we put them at risk of dangerous diseases that can lead to suffering, hospitalization and even death. Please check your national immunization schedule, so that you know when your child is due to have their MMR vaccination in your country.
You can get the national immunization schedule of your country from your doctor or the Ministry of Health’s website.
How is the MMR vaccine given?
A short needle under the skin is used to give a child the MMR vaccine. Our children should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine for the best possible protection against measles, mumps and rubella.
The exact time of the MMR vaccine depends on your country’s vaccination schedule. The World Health Organization recommends that the first dose of the MMR vaccine is generally given around our child's first birthday, from 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose when our child is 5 or 6 years of age.
If there is an outbreak of measles in your country – a sudden rise in the number of measles cases – or if you have visited a country with a high risk of measles transmission, MMR vaccine may be recommended for a child before their first birthday.
Remember, even if our child has the MMR vaccination before their first birthday, they will still need the two other doses of the vaccine after 12 months of age, in line with our country's immunization schedule, to make sure that they are fully protected against these three diseases.
Please check your national immunization schedule, so that you know when your child is due to have their MMR vaccination in your country. You can get the national immunization schedule of your country from your doctor or the Ministry of Health’s website.
Can my child get the MMR and other vaccines if they are allergic to eggs?
Yes. Children with an egg allergy can still have the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccination. The vaccine contains only tiny amounts of egg protein and can even be given to children with a severe egg allergy, such as anaphylaxis (difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, nausea or vomiting, loss of consciousness).
As for any other vaccine, children who have had a severe allergic reaction to an earlier dose of the MMR vaccine or who are allergic to a vaccine ingredient should avoid the MMR vaccination.
If our child simply doesn’t like eggs or has diarrhoea or stomach pain after eating eggs, we should not avoid or put off their MMR vaccination.
The vaccine will protect our child from dangerous diseases that can have life-threatening consequences. Measles, for example, can cause ear infections, pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and even death.
If you have any doubts about whether the vaccine is recommended for your child, please discuss it with your child's doctor or the health personnel who administer the vaccine.
Should I still immunize my child if they have already had measles, mumps or rubella?
We should still immunize our children against these diseases, even if they had one of the diseases in the past.
The MMR vaccine protects our child against three diseases (measles, mumps and rubella) with the same injection. A previous infection with one disease cannot protect our child against all three of them.
Remember: some diseases, including measles, can be very harmful and leave our child’s immune system vulnerable to other infections. So, getting the vaccine is extremely important to strengthen the protection of our child’s body, even after an illness.
Vaccines are meant to protect and are the safest choice for our children’s health. We should all make sure we vaccinate our children at the right time with the right vaccines to help them thrive!
Does the MMR vaccine cause autism?
No. Many studies have shown that the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine and other vaccines do not cause autism. The link between the MMR vaccine and autism is a myth that keeps circulating online, but it has been shown to be completely wrong by study after study.
The MMR vaccine is safe and protects our children against measles, mumps and rubella. If we don’t vaccinate our children with the MMR vaccine, we put them at risk of three harmful – and even life-threatening – infections. Measles, for example, can lead to ear infections, pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs), encephalitis (brain inflammation) and, in some cases, even death.
Please don’t let the myths stop you from protecting your child. Make sure you vaccinate your child at the right time with the right vaccines, according to your national immunization schedule. This will help your child to grow up healthy and protected!
What are the potential side effects of the MMR vaccine?
Like any other vaccine or medicine, the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine can have some side effects, but they are mostly mild and temporary.
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective, and protects our children against measles, mumps and rubella, which are dangerous diseases that can cause severe harm and even death.
Serious adverse reactions to the MMR vaccine are very rare, while the risks associated with the diseases it prevents are far higher.
The most common side effects of the MMR vaccine are a sore arm as a result of the injection, a fever, mild rash, and temporary pain and stiffness in the joints. These are usually controlled at home by taking over-the-counter pain medication as advised by a doctor or by applying a cold cloth to the injection site.
If any severe symptoms appear, it is very unlikely that they have been caused by the vaccine and you should seek medical care for your child. Please remember, the benefits of the MMR vaccine are far greater than any potential risks. But if you have any concerns, please discuss them with your child's doctor.
