Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known, spreading through the air and causing high fever, rash, and sometimes deadly pneumonia or brain swelling. Mumps is another virus that swells the glands near the jaw and can lead to hearing loss or infertility. Rubella is mild for most people but can cause miscarriage or severe birth defects if caught during pregnancy. The MMR vaccine covers all three in just two shots. Since it became routine, measles vaccination alone has saved more than 90 million lives worldwide. Today, children in vaccinated communities grow up without facing the epidemics that once swept through every classroom.

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