FACTS AND MYTH BUSTING ABOUT THE MMR VACCINE

One dose of the vaccine as a baby will not give you 100 percent immunity to the disease and without a booster there is still a chance you can catch measles.

People with egg allergies can be cautious about receiving vaccinations. There is not enough egg protein in the MMR vaccine to cause allergic reactions so people with severe egg allergies can safely receive the vaccine.

Some vaccines contain gelatine, which may not suit your lifestyle. You can ask your healthcare professional to provide a vaccine which does not contain gelatine.

Before measles vaccinations were around, parents used to encourage their children to mix with others with the disease so that they could catch it and get immunity. Some people still believe it is better to catch the disease than have the vaccination but there is no evidence that this is the case. There are also many risks from catching the disease.

Some parents believe that single vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella are better than the combined dose in the MMR vaccination. Single vaccines would mean six jabs instead of two, which can be more uncomfortable and distressing for the child. It is also unclear of the gap needed between the vaccines which could lead to poorer uptake of boosters.

• We did it! Meet the family proving it’s never too late to be immunised, (page 6).

It is never too late to be immunised.