Spread of measles infection to other children usually occurs before diagnosis is made in the affected child. Experience and modelling have shown that two doses of measles vaccine are required to interrupt indigenous transmission and achieve hard immunity. However, about 95 per cent of those who fail to respond to a first dose develop immunity from a second dose and hence the benefit of a second dose. In Nigeria, today, immunisation programmes promote two or more dose measles immunisation schedule, with the first dose given during the second year of life and the second dose at an older age that differs between countries. “Measles vaccine is most commonly administered as part of a combination of live attenuated vaccines that includes measles, mumps, rubella or measles, rubella and varicella (MMR or MMRV).

Source: The Guardian January 05, 2020 03:45 UTC