Temple will hold free MMR vaccine clinics amid mumps outbreak

As the number of Temple students with the mumps grows, the university says it will conduct two walk-in clinics next week to offer the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine — at no charge — to members of the school community.

The announcement comes as some students are petitioning the university to prevent more of them from getting the virus by closing temporarily, and asking it to provide free MMR shots to those who cannot afford to pay $63 for the vaccine out-of-pocket.

Temple announced Thursday that it will offer the vaccine free to students, faculty, and staff March 27 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mitten Hall’s Great Court. No appointments are necessary, the university said.

Children generally get a first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 months, with a second dose administered when they turn 6. Disease-control experts say the vaccine’s protection starts to wear off after 10 years.

To stop the outbreak, anyone without symptoms should consider getting an extra dose of the vaccine, the city’s Health Department said.

As of Wednesday, there were 74 cases of the mumps at Temple, according to the Philadelphia Department of Health.