Alberta Health Services
Health Information
As part of the routine immunization schedule, children get this vaccine starting at age 12 months up to and including 12 years. You do not get this vaccine if you are older than 12 years.
Your child may not be able to get this vaccine if:
If your child has allergies or has had a side effect from this vaccine in the past, check with your child’s doctor or a public health nurse before they get the vaccine.
Although your child can get the vaccine if they have a mild illness such as a cold or fever, they should stay home until they are feeling better to prevent spreading their illness to others.
Children need 2 doses. As of January 1, 2021, children can get their first dose at age 12 months and their second dose at age 18 months. If your child did not get an MMR-Var vaccine at age 18 months, they can get it at age 4 years.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella.
The varicella vaccine protects against varicella.
You can get the vaccine at your local public health or community health centre.
After 2 doses, protection is about:
Vaccine safety is a top priority. Canada uses extremely safe vaccines. Learn more about vaccine safety in Canada, including how vaccines are monitored for continued safety, and ingredients in vaccines.
There can be side effects from the MMR-Var vaccine. They tend to be mild and go away in a few days, but side effects can happen up to 6 weeks after having this vaccine. They may include:
At least 1 out of 100 people who got this vaccine reported 1 or more of these side effects. In some cases, it is unknown if the vaccine caused these side effects.
It is important to stay at the clinic for 15 minutes after your vaccine. Some people may have a rare but serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If anaphylaxis happens, you will get medicine to treat the symptoms.
It is rare to have a serious side effect after a vaccine. Call Health Link at 811 to report any serious or unusual side effects.
There can be mild, short-term side effects after getting a vaccine. Find tips to manage these side effects at home.