At what age is the measles vaccination typically administered?

Measles Vaccination Schedule

The measles vaccine is routinely administered at 12-15 months of age for the first dose and at 4-6 years of age for the second dose. 1

Primary Vaccination Schedule

First Dose

• Recommended age: 12-15 months 1, 2
• Administration: Either as MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine or MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella) vaccine 1
• Important consideration: For children 12-47 months receiving their first dose, MMR and varicella vaccines administered separately are preferred over MMRV due to increased risk of febrile seizures with MMRV 1, 2

Second Dose

• Recommended age: 4-6 years 1, 3
• The second dose may be administered earlier than 4 years, provided at least 3 months have elapsed since the first dose 1
• Administration: MMRV vaccine is generally preferred for the second dose over separate injections of MMR and varicella vaccines 1

Special Considerations

Risk Factors for Adverse Events

• Children with personal or family history of seizures should receive separate MMR and varicella vaccines rather than MMRV 1, 2
• MMRV for first dose in children 12-23 months results in approximately one extra febrile seizure per 2,300-2,600 doses compared to separate MMR and varicella vaccines 1

Timing Considerations

• Recent research suggests that administering the first dose at ≥15 months (rather than at 12-14 months) may provide better protection 4
  • A study found that the risk of measles in 2-dose recipients was 3-4 fold higher when the first dose was administered at 12 months compared to ≥15 months of age 4
  • Vaccine effectiveness was 93.0% when first dose was given at 12 months versus 97.5% when given at ≥15 months 4

Early Vaccination (Before 12 Months)

• Early vaccination (before 12 months) should only be considered during measles outbreaks or in situations with increased risk of measles infection 5
• Children vaccinated before 8.5 months of age showed faster antibody decay and lost protective antibody levels over 6 years 5

Catch-up Vaccination

• Children who received an initial dose of measles vaccine prior to their first birthday should receive additional doses at 12-15 months and 4-6 years to complete the vaccination series 3
• For individuals ≥7 years who have not completed the 2-dose schedule, a catch-up dose can be administered with robust immune response 6

Vaccine Efficacy

• Two doses of measles vaccine provide 95.5% effectiveness against classical measles 4
• The current 2-dose schedule is designed to ensure high levels of protection, as some individuals may not respond adequately to the first dose 1

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Administering MMRV as first dose without discussing risks with parents/caregivers
2. Failing to consider personal or family history of seizures when selecting between MMR and MMRV
3. Not completing the full 2-dose schedule, which is essential for optimal protection
4. Administering live vaccines less than 4 weeks apart when not given on the same day 2

The measles vaccination schedule balances the need for early protection with optimal immune response, with the current recommendation of 12-15 months for first dose and 4-6 years for second dose providing the best approach for reducing morbidity and mortality associated with measles.