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Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine

The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine that offers protection against three diseases: Measles, Mumps & Rubella. Book yours below.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine that offers protection against three diseases: Measles, Mumps & Rubella.

 

Book yours below.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine that offers protection against three diseases: Measles, Mumps & Rubella. Book yours below.

The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is a combination vaccine that helps prevent three diseases.

Please note that this vaccine contains small amounts of the live virus and is not recommended to everyone.

 

If you know you’re unable to get a live vaccine for medical reasons, please speak to your General Practitioner for alternative options for the MMR vaccine, which is also available in a combination vaccination.

 

Measles, Mumps and Rubella can cause a range of symptoms, including:

 

Measles

 

• High fever

• Runny nose

• Rash of raised bumps that can appear all

over the body

 

 

Mumps

 

• Fever

• Tiredness

• Swelling of the salivary glands

• Difficulty chewing

 

 

Rubella

 

• Also known as German Measles

• Can cause a rash

• Can cause severe health problems in babies

of infected pregnant people

 

Vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) requires two doses of the vaccine at least four weeks apart and is the best protection against getting these diseases.

 

Book your vaccine* with your local Blooms The Chemist Pharmacist today.

*Minimum age restrictions apply. Speak to your Pharmacist about the minimum age for child vaccinations. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (parent or guardian must bring photo ID as proof of guardianship).

What are measles, mumps and rubella?

Measles is an illness caused by infection with the measles virus and is spread when an infected person talks, breathes, coughs or sneezes tiny virus particles in the air. One in 10 people who get this infection need to go to hospital1.

 

Mumps is an infection of the salivary glands caused by the mumps virus and is spread the same way as measles.

 

Rubella is known as German measles and is caused by the rubella virus. It is spread when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes small droplets containing the virus into the air. It can also be spread through indirect contact with hands, tissues or other articles soiled by nose and throat particles2.

 

Rubella infection in a pregnant woman in the first eight to 10 weeks can result in the death or damage to the foetus in up to 90%^ of cases2. Mild defects in babies are also common, including deafness, blindness, brain and heart damage and other complications are being increasingly recognised.

 

1Health Navigator NZ, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, accessed 30 January 2023

2South Australia Health, Rubella - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

Why are they in the same vaccine?

The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine as it provokes an adequate immune response in children for the three infections. There are no single vaccines available for these infections.

 

This vaccine is a live vaccine, which means the viruses cause a harmless infection in your body with very few, if any, symptoms before the viruses are eliminated from the body1.

 

Your immune system will fight the infection caused by these weakened viruses, and immunity (the body’s protection from the virus) develops, which is how you become immunised from Measles, Mumps and Rubella.


1South Australia Health, Rubella - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

What are the symptoms of measles, mumps and rubella?

The symptoms vary across the diseases and can be seen below.

 

Measle symptoms

 

  • Fever
  • Tiredness
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny nose
  • Photophobia (discomfort when looking at light)1

 

Mumps symptoms

 

  • Swelling of the glands on the side of the face and along the jawline
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord)2

 

Rubella symptoms

 

  • Fever
  • Rash
  • Headache
  • Swollen glands (especially at the back of your neck)
  • Joint pain3

 

1South Australia Health, Measles - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

2South Australia Health, Mumps - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

3South Australia Health, Rubella - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

How can I get diagnosed with measles, mumps or rubella?

You can get diagnosed with measles through a blood test, or detection of the virus in urine, throat or your eyes1.

 

You can be diagnosed with mumps through laboratory testing of saliva collected from a swab from the inside of your mouth or through a blood test2.

 

You can be diagnosed with rubella through a blood test3.

 

1South Australia Health, Measles - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

2South Australia Health, Mumps - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

3South Australia Health, Rubella - including symptoms, treatment and prevention, accessed 30 January 2023

What is the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine?

The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is a combination vaccine that helps prevent you getting measles, mumps and rubella.

How is the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine given?

This vaccine is given in two stages at least four weeks apart. However, this varies for children.

 

Children should be given the MMR vaccine at 12 months of age and the second dose should be given at 18 months of age as the Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella (MMRV) vaccine.

 

Blooms The Chemist does not offer the MMRV vaccine, as Pharmacists are not authorised to administer MMRV.

What are the side effects of this vaccine?

Some common side effects of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine include1:

 

  • Pain, redness and swelling at the injection site
  • Fever seven to 10 days after the vaccine
  • A cough
  • Head cold or a runny nose
  • Generalised faint rash five to 12 days after the vaccine


1South Australia Health, Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, accessed 30 January 2023

Does my local Blooms The Chemist offer the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine?

You can check if your local Blooms The Chemist offers the vaccine by visiting the Store Finder and clicking on "Filter by vaccine".

Is the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine free for me?

Children aged 12 months and 18 months are eligible for the free MMR vaccine through the National Immunisation Program (NIP).

 

However, Pharmacists at Blooms The Chemist can only vaccinate children aged five and above and this varies depending on the state and territory where you live.

 

The MMR vaccine is recommended for:

 

  • Children over the age of 12 months
  • Adolescents and adults born during or since 1966 who have not received 2 doses of the MMR vaccine
  • Healthcare workers, childhood educators and travellers.

 

If you are eligible for a vaccination under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), you may need to confirm with your selected Blooms The Chemist pharmacy about their NIP vaccine stock availability. Please note that there may be a service fee associated with a NIP vaccination.

Is this vaccine right for me?

As this vaccine contains small amounts of the live virus, some people may not be eligible to receive it. This includes1:

 

  • Pregnant people
  • People who have a severely weakened immune system
  • People who have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to this vaccine or parts of this vaccine previously
  • Had another live vaccine within the past four weeks


1Health Navigator NZ, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, accessed 30 January 2023

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