Australian travellers are being urged by experts to get to their GP sooner rather later given a ‘critical shortage’ TGA warning on the supply of the MMR vaccine.

One immunisation expert says the shortage could be due to the measles outbreak in the region and the travel concerns prompting “a run” at the vaccine from travelling adults.

Professor Robert Booy, chair of the Immunisation Coalition, says extra strain on supplies could be a result of travellers heeding the advice of doctors and reacting to widespread media attention on measles to get themselves up-to-date with a measles shot.

“The other thing to remember is that measles is circulating in many countries in the world at present, so there is a very large demand in supply. It is inevitable there’ll be shortages,” he tells Australian Doctor.