Public health authorities recommend consulting your healthcare provider to see if you are among those for whom a booster or revaccination is advisable.
You might need a booster if you:
Had Just 1 MMR Dose
Public health officials underscore that for certain people it is especially important to get a second MMR dose if they haven’t had it already.
- Healthcare workers
- Students at post–high school educational institutions like colleges
- International travelers
- Adults living with HIV who are not severely immunocompromised
- Adults who are household contacts or other close contacts of people with compromised immune systems
- Groups at increased risk because of an outbreak
Were Vaccinated Between 1963 and 1967
A small percentage of people who received the MMR vaccine during these years received either an “inactivated” (killed) measles vaccine or a measles vaccine of unknown type.
The inactivated measles vaccine was discontinued in 1967 because it didn’t provide sufficient long-term protection.
Were Vaccinated Between 1968 and 1989
“There may be some gap in immunity, as during that time only one [MMR] dose was recommended,” says Catherine Troisi, PhD, a professor of management policy and community health at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.
Are Unsure of Your Vaccination Status
Saahir Khan, MD, PhD, an infectious-disease specialist with Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles, advises getting a two-dose series of MMR vaccine if you are unsure of your vaccine status. “There is no increased risk from additional doses,” says Dr. Khan.
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