Why You May need to Get a Measles Shot Again

Anyone born before 1989, but especially those born before 1958, may want to get a vaccination.

Since unvaccinated children spreading measles seems to comprise most of the buzz on the recent outbreak of the virus, there’s a fact that’s getting lost in the shuffle: the majority of those infected are actually adults.

According to new numbers from California, of the 92 confirmed measles cases in the state, 62 percent of them are adults over age 20.

To us adults who think, when it comes to measles, we’re totally home-free, those stats are scary. But there are several fascinating reasons for this — harkening back to the mid 20th century when the measles vaccine was first released.

Fact: If you were born before 1957, you’re probably not vaccinated.

When docs started administering measles vaccinations in 1963, they only recommended that those who were born after 1957 get shots. Before that date, measles was so common and so contagious, it was extremely likely you’d been exposed and were thus immune — CDC surveys suggest that 95 to 98 percent of those born before 1957 are immune to measles. However, that fact is not totally certain. Some adults today may not be immune if they didn’t get vaccinated.

A child receives one of the first measles vaccinations in 1963.

Fact: If you were inoculated between 1963 and 1967, you may have received an ineffective vaccine.

When the measles shots first came out, there were different types: the “live” virus-containing version which is still in use today, and the “killed” or inactivated measles vaccine, which was withdrawn in 1967 because it quickly lost its effectiveness over time. In fact, in a 1965 study, only one quarter of the children given three doses of the “killed” vaccine over a three month period still had measles antibodies a year later. And even after a yearly booster injection, 43 percent of children exposed to measles developed it.

The CDC recommends that people who were were vaccinated prior to 1968  should be revaccinated with at least one dose of live attenuated measles vaccine.

Fact: If you were born between 1963 and 1989, you may have gotten only dose of the measles vaccination.

Large scale measles vaccinations began in 1963, but it wasn’t until 1989 that CDC began recommending two doses of the live vaccine. If you get one dose of the vaccine, it’s 95 percent likely to be effective — but it’s 99 percent effective with two doses. There was a national “catch up” program in 1989 that gave a second shot to kids who were in grade school at the time.

Fact: Measles immunity can lag over time.

Even if you are an adult who did get the shot, says Thomas Kelley, MD, a family practice physician and Chief Quality Officer at South Seminole Hospital - Orlando Health, there’s a chance you’re still prone to contracting the virus. “Vaccines are generally not 100 percent effective,” he tells Yahoo Health. (For measles, as we said above, if you get one dose of the vaccine, it’s 95 percent likely to be effective — or 99 percent effective with two doses.) .”

The good news is that, if you got two doses of the vaccine after 1963, odds are you’re probably good to go — or at least partially immune, says Kelley.

Fact: You can find out if you’re immune to measles

Kelley says it’s a simple blood test to determine if you’ve been vaccinated; doctors can measure the antibodies in your blood that will show if you’re immune. Ask your PCP for a “measles titer” to check your status.

Fact: There’s no harm in getting vaccinated again

That said, if anyone is unsure or worried about the virus, there’s another option. “There is no harm in getting vaccinated again,” Kelley says says. “For instance, if you’re going to be in an area where there’s been an outbreak or the potential is there, like a daycare center or you’re going to be traveling abroad, you may not want to wait a week for results of a blood test.”
Get a vaccination folks....Who needs Measles ?