What with crazy ass anti-vaxers and the measles resurgence, I thought I should check to see if I was actually immune to measles.
I’m not.
If you were born before the MMR (1971), especially before 1968, I recommend you check as well. (Or if your insurance doesn’t cover it, it may be cheaper just to get another MMR shot. My doctor offered both options.)
The following is US-specific, but may apply elsewhere.
They didn’t bother retroactively giving the vaccines to people who had been born the 50’s; it was assumed you’d been exposed (we seem to be going that way with Covid, which pisses me off, because I haven’t been exposed, and we sure as hell don’t have herd immunity).
One of the two early measles vaccines didn’t work. That one was used for some people between 1963 and 1967.
In 1989 they upped the recommended dosage to two MMR shots instead of one (it didn’t take for small percentage of kids).
So in short, you may be relying on herd immunity and not know it.
I’m fine for rubella. I’m more than fine for mumps (I got it in grade school). But don’t have measles antibodies. Getting my first MMR tomorrow. A second in another month.
