Alberta Health Services
Health Information
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As part of the routine immunization schedule, children get this vaccine starting at age 12 months up to and including 12 years. You do not get this vaccine if you are older than 12 years.
This vaccine may also be recommended for children if they have had recent contact with the measles virus and have not had all of the recommended number of doses of measles vaccine.
Children age 12 months up to and including age 12 years should get this vaccine, even if you think they already had varicella. Because many people are now immunized against varicella, it’s more likely your child had a different illness. If your child was tested when they were sick and the test showed it was varicella, they may not need this vaccine. Instead, they can get a different vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella only. If your child had varicella before 1 year of age, they are not considered protected and should get this vaccine.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about which vaccine your child needs.
Your child may not be able to get this vaccine if:
If any of these apply, check with your child’s healthcare provider or a public health nurse before they get the vaccine.
Although your child can get the vaccine if they have a mild illness such as a cold or fever, they should stay home until they are feeling better to prevent spreading their illness to others.
Children need 2 doses. Children can get their first dose at age 12 months and their second dose at age 18 months.
Children may get the second dose earlier if they are travelling within or outside of Canada where there is risk of contact with measles or if they have had recent contact with the measles virus. How long you need to wait to get your second dose depends on what vaccine you are getting (MMR or MMR-Var). Check with your healthcare provider when you can get your second dose.
If a child gets a second dose of this vaccine less than 3 months from their first dose, it is considered off-label use. “Off-label use” means the vaccine is used differently than the way it was originally approved. Vaccine experts support using the MMR-Var vaccine this way and have no safety concerns with this off-label use.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. Younger babies (ages 6 to 11 months), children who do not need varicella vaccine, children over age 12 years, and adults who need a vaccine for measles, mumps, or rubella can get this vaccine.
The varicella vaccine protects against varicella.
You can get the vaccine at your local public health or community health centre.
After 2 doses, protection is about:
Vaccine safety is a top priority. Canada uses extremely safe vaccines. Learn more about vaccine safety in Canada, including how vaccines are monitored for continued safety, and ingredients in vaccines.
There can be side effects from the MMR-Var vaccine. They tend to be mild and go away in a few days, but side effects can happen up to 6 weeks after having this vaccine. They may include:
At least 1 out of 100 people who got this vaccine reported 1 or more of these side effects. In some cases, it is unknown if the vaccine caused these side effects.
It is important to stay at the clinic for 15 minutes after your vaccine. Some people may have a rare but serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If anaphylaxis happens, you will get medicine to treat the symptoms.
It is rare to have a serious side effect after a vaccine. Call Health Link at 811 to report any serious or unusual side effects.
There can be mild, short-term side effects after getting a vaccine. Find tips to manage these side effects at home.
