Dr Phil Kieran: Does my teenager need a booster MMR vaccine?

A catch-up programme is planned for those who were not vaccinated or only received one dose

Tue, 20 Feb, 2024 - 01:35

Dr Phil Kieran

I'm worried about the recent outbreak of measles. Does my 17-year-old need to get a booster vaccine if they got the MMR vaccine as a child? They pick up colds easily and got covid twice despite being vaccinated.

Measles is a viral illness spread through droplets or occasionally airborne transmission and can be very serious or even fatal.

Thankfully, I rarely see measles at my clinic because the MMR vaccination programme has effectively eliminated it. Generally speaking, there are two questions we consider when it comes to vaccines. Firstly, how effective is the vaccine or how much does it decrease your risk of contracting the illness? And, secondly, how long will it last?

The measles vaccine is highly effective, with a full course of two vaccines providing 97% protection and probably lasting indefinitely.

The efficacy of the covid vaccine can be lower due to the specific nature of the virus and the rapidity with which it mutates.

This is all good news for your teen. They do not need a booster if they are fully vaccinated for MMR. You may have a vaccine record at home but if not, you can check it at your local health office.

Dr Phil Kieran, Cork based GP and TV personality, who is giving valuable advice on looking after your gut health during the winter season.

For anyone born before 1978, you most likely had measles as a child, as it used to be very common. It is considered that your generation is immune.

If you were born between 1978 and 1985, you probably received one dose of the MMR vaccine, giving you substantial immunity. However, you could consider a booster if you have other medical risk factors.

If you were born after 1985, you would have been offered two doses. Unfortunately, there are likely no vaccination records until the mid-late 1990s. So, unless you have paper records of your vaccines at home, you might be unable to check this.

If you were born around 2000, you may not have been vaccinated due to the false and dangerous claims made by Dr Andrew Wakefield linking the MMR vaccine with autism (particularly in males). The data for this claim was fabricated and has no basis in reality. If you were born around this time, you should look into your vaccine status, but your parents will probably remember it as it was a scary time for making decisions about the vaccine.

A catch-up programme is planned for those who were not vaccinated or only received one dose. This may be available through your GP or delivered directly by the HSE. If the rates of measles in Ireland increase going forward, these guidelines may change with more people being recommended to have further doses of the vaccine.

Measles is a scary condition and the current situation is causing distress. However, the good news is that the vaccine is highly effective, and if you have been vaccinated, you do not need to look into getting another dose.