PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity.
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@overholt
Something I learned from a pharmacist (I'm in a cohort just a bit older than you, and was unsure if I'd been vaccinated as a child) is: when in doubt, get the vaccine — an extra dose is not a problem (one extra dose ≠ overvaccination, with many doses of the same vaccine). From CHOP — Children's Hospital of Philadelphia:
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/other-vaccine-safety-concerns/dosing-safety@RunRichRun @overholt I'm probably slightly older than either of you and I expected that Kaiser would give me a new pair of shots to supplement my single early-1960s one without question but they insisted on checking my titer and in fact I had no immunity. I might have had mild side effects but nothing literally memorable.
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@overholt This is really interesting. I'm wondering if anyone who's replied is in the UK? We can't just request vaccines on the NHS, for example I wasn't eligible for a free flu jab this year, but this is something I could look into getting done privately, esp as I have a health plan through work instead of a pay rise
@callunavulgaris @overholt I got measles vaccination at Boots just a few weeks ago, cost was about 30 pounds I think.
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
I was born mid 60’s and just got the vax again. No sense risking it!
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt I am reading responses to this thread and would like to refer people to the CDC website on FAQs regarding whether or not adults need more than 2 MMR vaccines. Most adults do not need more than 2 MMR vaccines and titers are NOT recommended. The exception is for adults vaccinated with the killed vaccine between 1963 and 1967: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/clinical-overview/questions.html
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt i got tested recently in my early 40s and apparently i still have immunity. i would have preferred to just get a booster, but my dr didn't want to do that.
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@overholt I am reading responses to this thread and would like to refer people to the CDC website on FAQs regarding whether or not adults need more than 2 MMR vaccines. Most adults do not need more than 2 MMR vaccines and titers are NOT recommended. The exception is for adults vaccinated with the killed vaccine between 1963 and 1967: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/clinical-overview/questions.html
@overholt I attended a clinician CDC webinar update on measles on 9/11/25 and asked this titer question specifically. The CDC response was: “CDC considers most people with documentation of 2 doses of MMR received after 12 months of age, and separated by at least 28 days, to have evidence of measles immunity…” 1/2
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt and in the US they started to do a second one to reach high enough percent for herd immunity in 1989 - it was waning too much with age with just one. So even folk in their 30s should check their records and make sure they got two, and if not, titer to make sure you still have immunity. Or if you are worried just get a titer!
#vaccines #mmr -
@overholt I attended a clinician CDC webinar update on measles on 9/11/25 and asked this titer question specifically. The CDC response was: “CDC considers most people with documentation of 2 doses of MMR received after 12 months of age, and separated by at least 28 days, to have evidence of measles immunity…” 1/2
@overholt “CDC does not recommend people who meet these criteria to be vaccinated with MMR even if they have a negative or equivocal result for a measles IgG test. Documented age-appropriate vaccination supersedes the results of subsequent serologic testing. However, if the person tested is a woman of reproductive age and could become pregnant and has a negative or equivocal titer for rubella, they should get a third dose of MMR. For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/clinical-overview/questions.html” 2/2
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt I had measles and mumps as a child in the 1950s. It's been my understanding that I was protected for life afterwards. Is this no longer considered true?
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt Interesting. I'm a few years older than you. I didn't know about this. I'll ask my doctor at my next appointment.
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It's not your age, at least that's not the whole story.
In your age group, you only got vaccinated once - it was believed to be sufficient back then. Today, there are two measles vaccinations which has been proved to be much better/longer lasting.
Still, the result is the same - better get vaccinated one time more often than not!
@overholt@andi
In some countries it could be the age- age at vaccination. For a few years in New Zealand, just over 50 years ago, it was on the schedule as a single dose at 10 months. We now know that maternal antibodies can still be present in the infant at that age resulting in a reduced immune response. Vaccinating kids that young is now only done to protect them from an outbreak, and we call it dose zero and still give 2 more later on.
@overholt -
PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt well, that's me right there..
"individuals vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 may have received a less effective, inactivated (killed) version of the measles vaccine. Anyone who received the inactivated vaccine or is unsure of the type they received should get one to two doses of the MMR vaccine,"
Some adults may need a measles booster shot. Who should get one and why? - Harvard Health
Measles vaccines have improved over the years. With the recent measles outbreaks, some adults may benefit from a measles booster shot. Learn who should get one, why it matters, and how to stay protected.
Harvard Health (www.health.harvard.edu)
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
I had Rubella in the womb and was vaccinated against it as a kid…I was shocked when I had my immunity to it tested age 36 and discovered I had none and had to be revaccinated. Everyone has different levels of immune response to vaccines is my understanding.
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@overholt I can't get vaccinated here b/c the system claims I'm immune b/c of my age.
I continue to mask in public, but still.
@StaceyCornelius
Sounds like your decision makers went to the same lecture series as ours.
If it's any consolation they are probably right. Even my mother who had family reasons for trying to keep us safe (posthumous child of a man who died tragically early of a communicable disease) didn't feel she had a hope of avoiding measles once we hit school age
@overholt -
@Mab_813 @overholt @geolaw yes chickenpox vaccine will protect from shingles when older, as you need to have been infected with the herpesvirus that causes them. Same virus, chicken pox first, shingles later when it comes back out of your spine. Yay.
MMR = measles, mumps and rubella. Three entirely different viruses!
@noodlemaz @Mab_813 @overholt @geolaw Chickenpox vaccine reduces the risk of shingles over having had wild type chickenpox, but you still can get shingles after the chickenpox vaccine as the vaccine contains live attenuated chicken pox virus. You will still want to get the shingles vaccine when you’re old enough if you have been vaccinated against chicken pox rather than having had an infection.
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I'm in the UK, like you, and also in the demographic where the measles vaccine we received may have been sub-optimal.
If you plan to travel to the US or developing countries where measles may be circulating, then yeah, it's probably worth getting an MMR even if you have to pay for it.
If you're not planning on travelling outside western Europe then don't bother. You are protected by herd immunity and won't encounter measles
@regordane
Unless some of your fellow travelers have brought it with them from somewhere like Bali. Which is of course also a possibility in your everyday life.
@callunavulgaris @overholt -
PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt Being of similar vintage... When all of this recent measles epidemic started, I also got tested for measles immunity and found I'm OK and apparently don't need a re-vax. So, yes, please everyone: if you're uncertain, get tested or get vaxed. You really don't wanna get measles.
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@noodlemaz @Mab_813 @overholt @geolaw Chickenpox vaccine reduces the risk of shingles over having had wild type chickenpox, but you still can get shingles after the chickenpox vaccine as the vaccine contains live attenuated chicken pox virus. You will still want to get the shingles vaccine when you’re old enough if you have been vaccinated against chicken pox rather than having had an infection.
@Kpasa @Mab_813 @overholt @geolaw rare but possible yes. Wouldn't take the chance. Wish I'd been able to have the vaccine as a child, instead I have a bunch of pox scars and live in fear of shingles, which just took out my friend of same age (late 30s/early 40s) for weeks on end.
Yay vaccines. #vaccinesWork
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PSA: I’m turning 55 next month, and there’s an issue with people who got vaccinated for measles around the same time I did as a kid having waning immunity. I got tested and it turned out I had no immunity, so I got revaccinated this week. Don’t listen to the science deniers: measles is not a trivial disease if you’re 5 or 55 and we can no longer rely on herd immunity.
@overholt my doctor said I was fine because I was 53 but tested me anyway. Next visit I received the booster. The test has to be more expensive than the booster. Not sure why they bother with the test.
Ask to get tested...
