Families in the US are opting for earlier measles vaccinations amid outbreak

Parents are opting for a second shot of MMR vaccine sooner, which aligns with guidance in Germany, the UK and France

Measles cases are accelerating in the US, with twice as many confirmed cases as last year, and more parents are opting for earlier vaccination – especially with the second dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which can be given as soon as four weeks after the first.

Giving the second shot soon after the first aligns with what some other countries, such as Germany, the United Kingdom and France, recommend – and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also says it’s an option.