Transmitted in airborne droplets when infected people sneeze or cough, rubella is an acute, usually mild viral disease traditionally affecting susceptible children and young adults worldwide. Rubella infection just before conception and in early pregnancy may result in miscarriage, fetal death or congenital defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The highest risk of CRS is found in countries with high rates of susceptibility to rubella among women of childbearing age.

Rubella vaccines are commonly given in a combination vaccine with measles (MR), measles and mumps (MMR), or measles, mumps and varicella (MMRV).

Large-scale rubella vaccination during the last decade has drastically reduced or practically eliminated rubella and CRS in many developed and in some developing countries. Indeed, the western hemisphere and several European countries have eliminated rubella and CRS.

WHO recommends that all countries that have not yet introduced rubella vaccine, and are providing two doses of measles vaccine using routine immunization and/or supplementary immunization activities should consider the inclusion of RCV in their immunization programme.