3.3.3  Effectiveness of measles vaccine

Measles vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles; 85% of infants who are immunized at 9 months are protected from measles for the rest of their lives; vaccine efficacy rises to 95% after a second dose after 12 months of age. In the year 2000 there were an estimated 750,000 deaths from measles worldwide. By 2008, vaccination campaigns had succeeded in reducing this number by 75%. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2008 around 83% of the world’s children were receiving one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday.