01/04/2025
NSW Health is urging people planning to travel overseas this April holiday period to ensure they and their family are fully protected against measles, as measles cases continue to rise across the globe and among returned travellers in Australia. This may lead to increased demand for the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR vaccine) at your practice or pharmacy.
Key points:
There are currently large measles outbreaks in many countries including Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia.
Offer opportunistic measles vaccination to patients travelling overseas and those who are not up to date with measles vaccination.
Babies can have their first dose of the MMR vaccine from six months of age if they will be travelling overseas.
Ensure you have enough MMR vaccine supply when placing your first of the month vaccine order.
Opportunistic measles vaccination
Consultations prior to overseas travel are opportunities to provide measles vaccination for any patients with an uncertain measles vaccination history.
Children aged from 6 months to under 12 months can have an MMR vaccination early if travelling overseas. Children who do receive an earlier dose should receive their usual MMR vaccine at 12 months of age or 4 weeks after the 1st early dose, whichever is later. They should receive their final dose of MMRV at 18 months of age as routinely recommended.
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is free from a GP for people of all ages or from pharmacists for people aged five years and above.
Measles containing vaccines (MMR) are free in NSW for those born during or after 1966 who do not have two documented doses.
As a health practitioner please use the opportunity to raise awareness in the community that between 1966 and 1993, children were only given one dose of vaccine in the immunisation schedule. Two doses are needed for best protection.
More information on measles can be found on the NSW Helth Measles fact sheet.
