Question: I’ve read about the necessity for measles vaccines for children, but what about those of us who got our measles vaccine many years ago? Is it necessary for adults to get a booster? I will be traveling internationally in April and May, so I would like to be properly set up before I go if this is what is recommended.
Answer: It’s important for international travelers to be fully protected against measles, at least two weeks before they depart, because the highly transmissible disease is common in many parts of the world. Hawaii’s Department of Health says that all adults born during or after 1957 should have documentation of at least one MMR vaccination (measles, mumps and rubella), unless they have a blood test showing they are immune to measles or have had the disease. Adults at higher risk of exposure, including international travelers, need a second dose of MMR vaccine at least four weeks after their first dose, DOH says.
Overall, whether a U.S. adult needs a measles booster shot largely depends on when they were born and/or vaccinated against the disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We’ll summarize the CDC’s guidance; read more at 808ne.ws/3XYrCcC Opens in a new tab.
>> People born in the United States before 1957 generally don’t need the MMR vaccine because they are presumed to have caught the measles before the vaccine was available, therefore developing lifetime immunity from re-infection.
>> The guidance is less precise for Americans born between 1957 and 1962. Many in this group either got the measles and developed natural immunity or received the vaccine the first year it was available (1963). A blood test can gauge immunity, or check your vaccination records if you can. If you can’t document your status, it’s generally safe to get a new shot, and international travelers should do so, the CDC says.
>> People vaccinated in the 1960s may or may not need to be re-vaccinated, depending on what type of vaccine they received. “People who have documentation of receiving LIVE measles vaccine in the 1960s do not need to be re-vaccinated. People vaccinated prior to 1968 with either inactivated (killed) measles vaccine or measles vaccine of unknown type should be re-vaccinated. They should get at least one dose of live attenuated measles vaccine. This recommendation is intended to protect those who may have received killed measles vaccine. This vaccine was available in 1963-1967 and was not effective,” the CDC says.
>> Adults vaccinated after 1968 generally do not need another shot, although the CDC says that some who received only one dose of the MMR vaccine or equivalent should consider a second dose. Besides international travelers, these higher-risk groups include health care workers, college students, close contacts of immunocompromised people and some others.
“If you’re unsure whether you’ve been vaccinated, you should first try to find your vaccination records. If you don’t have written documentation of MMR vaccine, you should get vaccinated, especially if you’re traveling internationally. The MMR vaccine is safe. There’s no harm in getting another dose if you may already be immune to measles, mumps, or rubella,” the CDC says.
Q: Did the Health Department ever restore the online restaurant reports?
A: Yes, although the format looks different from the website that went offline at the end of 2023. You can browse health inspection reports of Hawaii food establishments at the following website: inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/soh Opens in a new tab, according to an update the state Department of Health’s Food Safety Branch posted Jan. 29.
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Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
