Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines

On this page you’ll find an overview of measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines, including how they can protect against meningitis.

• Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox) are highly contagious viral infections. They can easily spread among unvaccinated people.
• These viral infections are often mild. But in some people they can lead to serious complications, including meningitis.
• Vaccination is the best way to protect against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. It can also help prevent cases of meningitis caused as a complication of measles and mumps.
• Most countries include measles and rubella vaccines in their routine immunisation programmes. Vaccination against mumps and varicella is also offered routinely in many countries.
• Since 1974, measles vaccines have saved over 93 million lives.¹
• Widespread vaccination has eliminated rubella from the Americas and many other countries.²

What are measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines?

Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox) vaccines protect against disease caused by these viruses.

They are live vaccines and work by introducing a weakened or inactive form of the virus, known as an antigen, into the body. When you’re vaccinated, your immune system recognises the antigen and makes protective antibodies against it. These antibodies then circulate in the bloodstream. If you encounter the virus you’ve been vaccinated against, your immune system will kill and clear it from the body.

There are several vaccines that protect against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella. Some protect against only one of the viruses. But other vaccines protect against more than one virus in a single shot. For example, the measles vaccine can be given alone. But it’s often combined with vaccines for rubella, mumps and/or varicella.

The vaccines available can differ depending on where in the world you live:

• Some low-income countries across sub-Saharan Africa use measles-containing vaccines that don’t contain other antigens. This means the vaccine only protects against the measles virus.
• Many low and lower-middle income countries use the MR vaccine. This vaccine protects against both measles and rubella in one shot.
• Many high-income countries use the MMR vaccine. This vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella in one shot.
• Some high-income countries, such as the US, use the MMRV vaccine. This vaccine protects against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella in one shot.

Who can get measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all countries include a measles-containing vaccine in their national immunisation programme.³ They also recommend that countries with at least 80% coverage with the measles vaccine should introduce the rubella-containing vaccine. They should also consider adding mumps and varicella-containing vaccines.^4,5

The Measles and Rubella Initiative (M&RI) has been helping deliver measles and rubella vaccines since 2000 to children worldwide. The initiative, in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has made the measles and MR vaccine widely available. Gavi supports lower-income countries to introduce the vaccines into routine programmes and respond to outbreaks of the disease.

Globally, over 95% of countries provide measles-containing vaccines and 90% provide rubella-containing vaccines as part of their routine childhood immunisation programs. As of August 2024:

• Measles-containing vaccines have been universally introduced to children in 189 of 194 member states.
• The MR vaccine has been introduced in 175 of 194 member states.⁶
• Mumps-containing vaccines have been introduced in 124 of 194 member states.⁷
• Varicella-containing vaccines have been introduced in only 46 of 194 member states.⁸

Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccination schedules can vary by country and whether they’re offered as single or combined vaccines.

• Children should receive two doses of measles-containing vaccines to ensure they are immune. The WHO recommends that the first dose is given at nine months of age in countries where measles is common, and at twelve to fifteen months in other countries. A second dose should be given at least one month after the first.
• Rubella and mumps vaccines are usually combined with the measles vaccine and given as a single shot. So the vaccine schedule for rubella and mumps vaccines is the same as for measles vaccines.
• The WHO recommends that, for routine childhood varicella vaccination, the first dose should be given at twelve to eighteen months of age. One or two vaccine doses are usually recommended, depending on the age group and the aim of the vaccination programme.

In the UK, the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is available to babies and young children. Two doses are recommended. The first dose is usually given at twelve months of age. The second dose is typically given before starting school, usually between the ages of three and five years.

If a child misses the MMR vaccine, they can get it at any age through the MMR catch-up program. The MMR vaccine is available to older children and adults if they weren’t vaccinated as children. If you have the vaccine when you’re older, you'll have two doses at least a month apart.

The UK doesn’t have a universal varicella vaccine program. But the vaccine is recommended for people who are at high risk of getting seriously ill from the virus. This includes:

• Healthcare workers who are not immune to varicella.
• Family members and close contacts of people who are immunocompromised.
• Laboratory workers who are not immune to varicella.

It has been introduced as a national programme in some high-income countries, such as the US, Japan and several EU countries.

Check your country's immunisation schedule here: WHO’s national immunisation schedule data portal. This lists the available vaccines and their recommended doses in your national immunisation programme.

Are measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines safe?

Yes, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines are safe. Before a vaccine is given to humans, scientists usually spend many years developing and testing it in the lab. A potential vaccine will only move to human trials if it appears to work safely. A vaccine must pass several phases of clinical trials in humans. They test its safety and effectiveness. Once licensed, a vaccine’s safety is then closely monitored during use.

The MMR vaccine received adverse publicity in 1998 after a study linked the vaccine to autism and bowel disease. However, the study was since shown to be fraudulent. The paper was retracted and the lead author was removed from the medical register. The general medical council found that the author had acted unethically. Many studies since then have found no links between this vaccine and autism. The vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against measles, as well as mumps and rubella.

You may experience minor side effects following vaccination. These symptoms are usually mild and go away on their own within a few days.

Common side effects of measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines include:

• Irritability, crying, restlessness.
• Headache.
• Pain, redness and swelling at injection site.
• Drowsiness or feeling tired (fatigue).
• A rash that looks like measles, rubella, or chickenpox.
• Swelling of the glands in the neck or cheeks.

Local reactions at the injection site and fever are more common following the first dose of the MMRV vaccine than with the other vaccines.

Because measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines are live vaccines, they are not suitable for everyone. They should not be given if:

• You are pregnant.
• You have a weakened immune system, either because of a health condition or if you are taking immunosuppressant medicines.

Why is it important to take up measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines?

Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella are highly contagious viral infections that can easily spread between people who aren’t vaccinated. Although they’re usually mild and don’t often cause long-term effects, some people can get serious complications, which can be fatal. Getting the available vaccines is much safer than getting measles, mumps, rubella or varicella.

Before widespread introduction of the measles vaccine, major epidemics occurred every two to three years. They caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths globally each year.⁸

In 1974, the WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). This was created to ensure that children in all countries had access to life-saving vaccines. 50 years on, the EPI has saved over 93 million lives as a direct result of measles-containing vaccines.⁴

However, the COVID pandemic caused a global drop in vaccination rates. As a result, 103 countries, including the UK, had large measles outbreaks between 2019 and 2024. The measles virus is highly contagious. So vaccination rates must stay high to stop its spread. A 95% coverage rate is needed to stop the virus from circulating and protect against outbreaks of disease. This is known as herd protection.

Maintaining high coverage rates is important for all of the diseases. If fewer than 80% of young people get vaccinated, disease may peak in older age groups. People in older age groups are at higher risk of complications from becoming unwell with these viruses.

Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines are safe and effective. Taking up the vaccines is the best way to protect you and your family from these highly infectious viruses. It also reduces the chance of getting a serious illness such as meningitis.

Author: Meningitis Research Foundation.
Reviewed by: Hajime Takeuchi, CoMO member.
Published: 7 April 2025.