MMR FAQ's

The MMR vaccine protects against 3 serious illnesses: measles, mumps and rubella.

You'll need 2 doses for full protection.

Young children have the 1st dose when they're 1 year old and the second when they're between 3 years 4 months and 5 years old.

If you have the vaccine when you're older, you'll have 2 doses at least 1 month apart.

What are “routine” childhood vaccinations?

Different vaccinations are given at different ages to protect your child from life-threatening infections. Childhood vaccinations prevent 2-3 million deaths worldwide every year. Vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella is free on the NHS as part of the National Vaccination Programme.

Search ‘NHS vaccines and when to have them’ or visit nhs.uk to check which ones apply to your child.

What do I do if I have missed a routine vaccination?

If your child’s routine vaccinations have been delayed or missed you should contact your GP to arrange for them to be given as soon as possible.

Is the MMR linked with autism?

No. There is no link between the MMR and autism. MMR does not cause or increase the risk of your child developing autism. This has been shown in studies of hundreds of thousands of children.

‘Our Community Innovation Team have created a collection of MMR resources which can be found here.’