MMR vaccine shot could protect against COVID-19

Administering the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine could prevent severe symptoms of COVID-19

Administering the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine could serve as a preventive measure to dampen lung inflammation and sepsis associated with COVID-19 infection, said a team of experts in this week’s mBio, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. 

Live attenuated vaccines like MMR, which are made using weakened strains of a disease causing pathogen, provide nonspecific protection against lethal infections.

Vaccination with MMR in immunocompetent individuals has no contraindications and may be especially effective for health care workers who can easily be exposed to COVID-19, said the researchers.

“Live attenuated vaccines seemingly have some nonspecific benefits as well as immunity to the target pathogen. A clinical trial with MMR in high-risk populations may provide a low-risk-high-reward preventive measure in saving lives during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said author Dr. Paul Fidel, Jr., Associate Dean for Research, Louisiana State University Health School of Dentistry. 

The protection was mediated by long-lived myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) previously reported inhibiting septic inflammation and mortality in several experimental models. Mortality in COVID-19 cases is strongly associated with progressive lung inflammation and eventual sepsis.

experts suggest that all adults, especially health care workers and individuals in nursing homes get the MMR vaccine

The milder symptoms seen in the 955 sailors on the U.S.S Roosevelt who tested positive for COVID-19 (only one hospitalization) may have been a consequence of the fact that the MMR vaccinations are given to all U.S. Navy recruits emphasized the researchers.

In addition, epidemiological data suggest a correlation between people in geographical locations who routinely receive the MMR vaccine and reduced COVID-19 death rates. COVID-19 has not had a big impact on children, and the researchers hypothesize that one reason children are protected against viral infections that induce sepsis is their more recent and more frequent exposures to live attenuated vaccines including MMR.

A clinical trial is proposed to test whether the MMR vaccine can protect against COVID-19, but in the meantime, the experts suggest that all adults, especially health care workers and individuals in nursing homes get the MMR vaccine. 

If adults got the MMR as a child then they should get a booster MMR shot to enhance the antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella and reinitiate the MDSCs.