Public acceptance of mumps immunization. Report of one year's experience offering live mumps vaccine in a public health clinic and school immunization program.

Live mumps vaccine was added to clinic and school immunization programs in 1968. Requests for clinic immunization were highest among children under 10 years of age and lowest among adults. In the school program, 13% of the fourth grade enrollment (37% of estimated susceptibles) requested vaccine while only 2% of 12th grade enrollment (10% of estimated susceptibles) requested vaccine. Motivation of adults and older teen-agers to seek immunization for themselves is probably so low that this approach will not significantly reduce the incidence of adult mumps. Immunization of children under 10 years is very acceptable to the public. Since over three fourths of all mumps cases occur in children under age 10, their protection through immunization should bring the added benefit of reducing the incidence of mumps in adults by reducing exposure of adults to children with mumps.