Montgomery County residents can get free measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines at seven community clinics in October, including one in Blue Bell on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The county's Office of Public Health announced it is adding MMR shots to its annual flu and COVID-19 clinic program in response to Pennsylvania's ongoing measles outbreak. As we reported Monday, Sept. 7, the county's kindergarten vaccination rate recently dipped below the herd-immunity threshold.
The Blue Bell clinic runs from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike, in College Hall rooms 144, 148 and 151. All three vaccines will be available at no cost to anyone who lives, works or attends school in the county. Insurance is not required but will be billed when available.
"We encourage everyone to review their vaccination status and stay up to date on recommended immunizations," Dr. Richard Lorraine, medical director of the county Office of Public Health, said in the announcement.
Walk-ins are welcome while supplies last, but appointments will be prioritized. An online booking link for the Oct. 22 and Oct. 24 clinics goes live after Oct. 1 at montgomerycountypa.gov/immunizations. Residents can also call 610-278-5145 (Norristown), 610-970-5040 (Pottstown) or 215-784-5415 (Willow Grove) to schedule.
The expansion comes as Pennsylvania's measles caseload continues to climb. The state Department of Health reported 594 confirmed cases across 37 counties as of Tuesday, Sept. 8, according to Local 21 News. About 17.5% of cases resulted in hospitalizations, and two unvaccinated Lancaster County residents have died.
CIDRAP reported those were Pennsylvania's first measles deaths in 35 years.
Montgomery County had recorded three confirmed cases as of July 20, according to the state's tracking dashboard. An updated county-level count was not available.
The county's kindergarten MMR vaccination rate fell to 94.8% during the 2025-26 school year, just below the 95% herd-immunity threshold, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer analysis of state data. Montgomery County had been the only Philadelphia-region county at herd immunity two years earlier.
In August, more than 46,000 MMR doses were administered statewide, nearly double the typical monthly total of about 25,000, PennLive reported.
Residents unsure of their vaccination status can check records through the state's PIERS Public Portal at pa.gov. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends two MMR doses for children starting at 12 to 15 months and advises unvaccinated adults to get the shot.
Upcoming free vaccination clinics
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 2:30–6 p.m. — Bethel Community Church, 575 N. Keim St., Pottstown
- Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. — St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 654 N. Easton Road, Glenside
- Monday, Oct. 5, 2:30–6 p.m. — Upper Perkiomen School District Education Center, 2229 E. Buck Road, Pennsburg
- Saturday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. — Davenport Elementary School, 1 E. Oak St., Norristown
- Monday, Oct. 19, 3:30–7 p.m. — Upper Merion Township Building, 175 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia
- Thursday, Oct. 22, 4–6 p.m. — Bethel Community Church, 575 N. Keim St., Pottstown
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. — Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell
