VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT

Many vaccine information statements are 

available in Spanish and other languages. 

See www.immunize.org/vis

Hojas de información sobre vacunas están 

disponibles en español y en muchos otros 

idiomas. Visite www.immunize.org/vis

U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services 

Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

1. Why get vaccinated?

MMRV vaccine can prevent measles, mumps, rubella, 

and varicella.

 MEASLES (M) causes fever, cough, runny nose, and red, 

watery eyes, commonly followed by a rash that covers 

the whole body. It can lead to seizures (often associated 

with fever), ear infections, diarrhea, and pneumonia. 

Rarely, measles can cause brain damage or death.

 MUMPS (M) causes fever, headache, muscle aches, 

tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen and tender 

salivary glands under the ears. It can lead to deafness, 

swelling of the brain and/or spinal cord covering, 

painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and, very 

rarely, death.

 RUBELLA (R) causes fever, sore throat, rash, headache, 

and eye irritation. It can cause arthritis in up to half of 

teenage and adult women. If a person gets rubella while 

they are pregnant, they could have a miscarriage or the 

baby could be born with serious birth defects.

 VARICELLA (V), also called “chickenpox,” causes 

an itchy rash, in addition to fever, tiredness, loss of 

appetite, and headache. It can lead to skin infections, 

pneumonia, inflammation of the blood vessels, swelling 

of the brain and/or spinal cord covering, and infection 

of the blood, bones, or joints. Some people who get 

chickenpox get a painful rash called “shingles” (also 

known as herpes zoster) years later.

Most people who are vaccinated with MMRV will be 

protected for life. Vaccines and high rates of vaccination 

have made these diseases much less common in the 

United States.

2. MMRV vaccine

MMRV vaccine may be given to children 12 months 

through 12 years of age, usually:

 First dose at age 12 through 15 months

 Second dose at age 4 through 6 years

MMRV vaccine may be given at the same time as other 

vaccines. Instead of MMRV, some children might receive 

separate shots for MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) 

and varicella. Your health care provider can give you 

more information.

3. Talk with your health care 

provider

Tell your vaccination provider if the person getting the 

vaccine:

 Has had an allergic reaction after a previous dose of 

MMRV, MMR, or varicella vaccine, or has any severe, 

life-threatening allergies

 Is pregnant or thinks they might be pregnant—

pregnant people should not get MMRV vaccine

 Has a weakened immune system, or has a parent, 

brother, or sister with a history of hereditary or 

congenital immune system problems

 Has ever had a condition that makes him or her bruise 

or bleed easily

 Has a history of seizures, or has a parent, brother, or 

sister with a history of seizures

 Is taking or plans to take salicylates (such as aspirin)

 Has recently had a blood transfusion or received other 

blood products

 Has tuberculosis

 Has gotten any other vaccines in the past 4 weeks

In some cases, your health care provider may decide to 

postpone MMRV vaccination until a future visit or may 

recommend that the child receive separate MMR and 

varicella vaccines instead of MMRV.

People with minor illnesses, such as a cold, may be 

vaccinated. Children who are moderately or severely 

ill should usually wait until they recover before getting 

MMRV vaccine.

Your health care provider can give you more information.

MMRV Vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, 

and Varicella): What You Need to Know
OFFICE 

USE 

ONLY

42 U.S.C. § 300aa-26

8/6/2021

Vaccine Information Statement

MMRV Vaccine

4. Risks of a vaccine reaction

 Sore arm from the injection, redness where the shot is 

given, fever, and a mild rash can happen after MMRV 

vaccination.

 Swelling of the glands in the cheeks or neck or 

temporary pain and stiffness in the joints sometimes 

occur after MMRV vaccination.

 Seizures, often associated with fever, can happen after 

MMRV vaccine. The risk of seizures is higher after 

MMRV than after separate MMR and varicella vaccines 

when given as the first dose of the two-dose series in 

younger children. Your health care provider can advise 

you about the appropriate vaccines for your child.

 More serious reactions happen rarely, including 

temporary low platelet count, which can cause unusual 

bleeding or bruising.

 In people with serious immune system problems, 

this vaccine may cause an infection that may be lifethreatening. People with serious immune system 

problems should not get MMRV vaccine.

If a person develops a rash after MMRV vaccination, 

it could be related to either the measles or the varicella 

component of the vaccine. The varicella vaccine virus 

could be spread to an unprotected person. Anyone who 

gets a rash should stay away from infants and people with 

a weakened immune system until the rash goes away. Talk 

with your health care provider to learn more.

Some people who are vaccinated against chickenpox 

get shingles (herpes zoster) years later. This is much less 

common after vaccination than after chickenpox disease.

People sometimes faint after medical procedures, 

including vaccination. Tell your provider if you feel dizzy 

or have vision changes or ringing in the ears.

As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a 

vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious 

injury, or death.

5. What if there is a serious 

problem?

An allergic reaction could occur after the vaccinated 

person leaves the clinic. If you see signs of a severe 

allergic reaction (hives, swelling of the face and throat, 

difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, or 

weakness), call 9-1-1 and get the person to the nearest 

hospital.

For other signs that concern you, call your health care 

provider.

Adverse reactions should be reported to the Vaccine 

Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Your health 

care provider will usually file this report, or you can do 

it yourself. Visit the VAERS website at www.vaers.hhs.

gov or call 1-800-822-7967. VAERS is only for reporting 

reactions, and VAERS staff members do not give medical 

advice.

6. The National Vaccine Injury 

Compensation Program

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program 

(VICP) is a federal program that was created to 

compensate people who may have been injured by certain 

vaccines. Claims regarding alleged injury or death due to 

vaccination have a time limit for filing, which may be as 

short as two years. Visit the VICP website at www.hrsa.

gov/vaccinecompensation or call 1-800-338-2382 to 

learn about the program and about filing a claim.

7. How can I learn more?

 Ask your health care provider.

 Call your local or state health department.

 Visit the website of the Food and Drug Administration 

(FDA) for vaccine package 

inserts and additional information at 

www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/vaccines.

 Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC):

- Call 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or

- Visit CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.