Measles: two doses, and how to check you've had them
Measles has been back in the news in NSW this year, and it is worth a minute of your time. Measles is one of the most easily spread of all human infections — NSW Health notes that just being in the same room as someone with measles can result in infection.
What it looks like
It usually starts with fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sore red eyes and generally feeling unwell. A rash follows a few days later, beginning on the face and neck and spreading down the body, and lasts around four to seven days. Symptoms normally appear about 10 days after exposure, but can take anywhere from seven to 18 days.
It is not a trivial illness. NSW Health reports that up to a third of people with measles have complications — including ear infections, diarrhoea and pneumonia — and many require hospitalisation. About one in every 1,000 people with measles develops encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain.
Two is the number to remember
According to NSW Health, two doses of measles vaccine given at least four weeks apart provide long-term protection in 99% of people vaccinated. Children are offered both doses free under the National Immunisation Program — at 12 months of age as MMR, and at 18 months as MMRV.
Adults are where the gap tends to sit. In a clinician alert issued in February, NSW Health noted that most of the cases reported over the preceding months were adults aged 32 to 59 who were under-vaccinated or had no proof of vaccination. If you were born during or after 1966 and have never had measles, you should have had two doses. If you have not — or you simply do not know — the vaccine is free in NSW. Most people born before 1966 are likely to already be immune, having had measles as children.
Not sure? That is a common answer
Plenty of people have no idea what they had as a child, and that is fine. NSW Health advises that it is safe to have the vaccine more than twice, so anyone who is unsure can simply be vaccinated. We can also help you check your record on the Australian Immunisation Register at your next appointment.
Planning a trip? Measles remains common in many countries Australians travel to, so it is worth checking well before you go rather than the week of departure. If you are travelling with a baby between six and 18 months old, talk to us — an earlier dose is possible for higher-risk destinations.
If you think you might have measles
Please call us on 02 9526 1233 before you come in. NSW Health asks people with measles symptoms to phone ahead when attending a GP or emergency department so staff can arrange to see them away from the waiting room. It is a small courtesy that protects other patients, including babies too young to be vaccinated.
NSW Health's measles fact sheet is published in more than 30 languages. If that would be useful for you or a family member, just ask our reception team and we will point you to it.
To check your measles vaccination status or book a dose, call Miranda Central General Practice on 02 9526 1233.
Sources: NSW Health, Measles fact sheet (current as at 30 June 2026); Central and Eastern Sydney PHN, "Measles Alert – Increased risk of measles in NSW", relaying the NSW Health clinician alert (February 2026). This article is general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.
