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Why is measles vaccine given to children at 9 months of age?

Prof HPS Sachdeva
Prof HPS Sachdev,
Senior Consultant Pediatrics,
Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research,
New Delhi

Q: Why is measles vaccine given to children at 9 months of age? Why are immune-compromised children vaccinated twice against it?

A:The maternal protective antibodies against measles decline by 9 months of age and so this age has been chosen for vaccination in India.Live vaccines like measles are generally not given twice in immune-compromised subjects.