Measles can be prevented readily by vaccination. Before the widespread use of vaccine, 90% of children had contracted measles by the age of 10 years.

An effective vaccine has been available since the 1960s, and all countries offer measles-containing vaccine in their immunization programmes. Protection is increased after 2 doses, and WHO recommends a 2-dose immunization schedule.

Available measles vaccines are safe and effective. Measles vaccine protects equally well against all wild measles virus strains. Active immunization involves 2 doses of live attenuated measles and it is either only measles vaccine or combined with the vaccines for rubella or mumps and rubella in children.