Do adults need the MMR vaccine? Risks of measles to older people explained

Measles cases are still at very low levels with just a few hundred people in the country thought to be infected at the moment – but this is much higher than normal, while the virus is more than 10 times as infectious as Covid.

And with MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination rates having been much lower than the recommended level of 95 per cent of children for some years now, there are fears we could see a UK-wide outbreak of the virus this year.

Most adults, older ones in particular, will be well protected because they will either be fully vaccinated or have had measles in childhood – in some cases by being deliberately infected through “measles parties” that were held in past decades. (Deliberate infection is something that health experts warn against both for children and adults).

This week, i reported how parents approached a charity asking if measles parties could be good for their children’s immunity.

But some young adults, who are less likely to be vaccinated than older adults, as well as a smaller number of older adults, won’t have been vaccinated or had the disease.

Between 1994 and 1997, MMR vaccination rates for children at their second birthday stood at around 91 per cent, by 2003/04 that had dropped to 80 per cent. Recent figures show that in 2021/22 the figure stood at 89 per cent.

How serious is measles in adulthood?

“Measles can be as serious in adults as it is in children. Adults can also suffer complications including ear infections, pneumonia and encephalitis,” Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told i.

In fact, adults who do get measles can often suffer more than children, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

“Measles can be particularly debilitating in very young infants and adults, who are more likely to

develop complications and require hospitalisation,” it says.

And pregnant women, in particularly, should make sure they are protected, according to the NHS.

“If caught during pregnancy, measles can be very serious, causing stillbirth, miscarriage and low birth weight, and NHS bosses are urging young adults to catch up on any missed doses before thinking about starting a family,” it says.

What is the risk to adults of getting measles?

If you didn’t get infected with measles as a child or were not fully vaccinated when the measles vaccine was introduced in the UK in 1968, then you will be susceptible to infection.

As cases of measles increases around the UK, there is concern that adults who are not fully vaccinated and those who are immunocompromised will be infected.

How do I get vaccinated? And how much does it cost?

Anyone who has not had two doses of the MMR vaccine can request a vaccination appointment with their GP.

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Your GP should be able to check whether you’ve had both doses of the MMR vaccine, and if you haven’t you can get fully vaccinated – or catch up on your outstanding dose if you had just one – on the NHS free of charge.

It’s also worth pointing out that even if you have had had the vaccine in childhood, having further doses will not cause any harm, as your immune system will recognise and quickly destroy the vaccine viruses, according to the UKHSA.

Professor Steve Griffin, a virologist at Leeds University, said: “If there was a reason you couldn’t have the MMR vaccine then speak to your GP about whether you should have it, or possibly an alternative. There are some issues with certain forms of immune suppression but there are options, including single vaccines and pausing meds although it depends on the consequences of this.”

Should adults who were vaccinated as children think about getting a booster?

Evidence from both antibody responses and epidemiological studies indicate that vaccine-induced measles immunity is long-term and probably lifelong in most persons. That means there is no need for booster jabs in fully vaccinated individuals.

Young adults:

Younger adults are less likely to have been fully, or partially, vaccinated than older adults because vaccination rates have been falling for some time.

If you have already had one dose of MMR vaccine as a young child then you will only need one further dose, no matter how long ago your first dose was given. If you need two doses then they can be given with a one month gap between them.

Just over a million people aged 11 to 25 in London and the West Midlands are being encouraged to catch up with missed jabs. This is likely to be the consequence of reduced uptake of the MMR jab in the late 90s due to the now debunked claim that the vaccine was linked to autism.

Older adults:

Adults born in the UK before 1970 are likely to have had measles, mumps and rubella as a child or to have had single measles or rubella vaccines which were used before MMR was introduced in 1988.

“If you are not sure about your vaccination history, it’s important that you check with your GP,” says Professor Young.