Vaccination provides the best protection against measles. Measles vaccination is particularly important for adults and children at higher risk of exposure, including those travelling overseas.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recently updated advice to recommend that infants aged 6 to 11 months should receive an additional dose of a measles-containing vaccine (MMR vaccine) when travelling overseas.
The MMR vaccine is highly effective - two doses provide 99% protection against illness and serious health complications. Most Australians receive these two doses as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule at 12 and 18 months of age.
The MMR vaccine is free under the NIP for:
- children at 12 months and 18 months of age;
- people aged under 20 years old needing catch-up vaccinations;
- refugees and humanitarian entrants of any age.
States and territories may fund the vaccine for additional groups of people, and the vaccine can also be purchased privately.
Who should be vaccinated:
- Children aged 12 months and over;
- Adolescents who have not received two doses;
- People born in 1966 or after who have not received two doses;
- Infants travelling overseas from as young as 6 months of age, after an individual risk assessment.
Talk to your health professional about getting protected against measles if you haven’t been fully vaccinated for measles.
Infants Travelling Overseas and Measles Vaccinations
Where an infant aged 6 to 11 months receives an MMR dose before travelling overseas, the dose needs to be repeated. This means that these infants need 2 further doses of measles-containing vaccine. They should receive the next dose of MMR vaccine at 12 months of age or 4 weeks after the 1st dose, whichever is later. They should receive their final dose of measles-containing vaccine as MMRV vaccine at 18 months of age as routinely recommended.
It is not necessary to repeat an early dose if it was given at greater than 11 months but before 12 months of age.