Measles exploder: who needs to get vaccinated?

Measles is an incredibly infectious disease. It is currently spread through Canterbury where, as of Sunday, 22 cases had been confirmed.

A 4-month-old baby is one of the confirmed cases and many people became so ill that they had to be admitted to intensive care.

General practices are preparing for a major vaccination campaign in the city. Approximately 100,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine will be distributed in the coming weeks. Some doctors treat people with measles symptoms in car parks to prevent them from spreading the virus in waiting rooms.

What is the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine?

Incredibly effective. More than 99% of people who receive two doses of MMR develop immunity to measles. A single dose alone can not immunize about 5 to 10% of people.

It has been proven that a single dose of MMR vaccine, administered to an unvaccinated person within 72 hours of first contact with an infectious person, may reduce the risk of developing an illness.

When should children be vaccinated?

It is generally recommended that children receive their MMR vaccine at 15 months and 4 years of age. It can be given to children aged 12 months or older whose parents request it. The second dose can be advanced as early as four weeks after the first dose.

The local medical officer of health and the Ministry of Health may recommend that MMR vaccine be given to infants aged 6 to 12 months during measles outbreaks if the cases occur in very young children. It did not happen in Canterbury. These children will still need two more doses of MMR, as their chances of protection are lower if the vaccine is administered to them when they are less than 12 months old.

Is the MMR vaccine free?

Yes. Two doses of MMR (administered at least four weeks apart) are recommended and fully funded for any child, adolescent, or adult who is known to be susceptible to one or more of these diseases.

This includes adults born from 1969, when measles vaccine alone was introduced, with no documented history of two doses of measles vaccine.

Adults born in New Zealand before 1969 are considered immunized against measles because the disease was widespread before the introduction of measles vaccine.

What about migrants?

Anyone under the age of 18 is eligible for free vaccines, regardless of their immigrant or citizen status. If a refugee or immigrant does not have valid documentation on immunization, the Ministry of Health recommends an age-appropriate catch-up program, organized through an intermediary. generalist.

And if I do not know if I have received two doses of MMR?

Your GP should have information about your immunization status, but if you are not sure whether or if you can not know it, it is prudent to vaccinate again.

Who is most at risk?

People in late teens and early twenties are most at risk because a higher proportion than usual of this age group has not received the planned MMR vaccinations and because they are very social and very mobile.

Who are the priority groups in Canterbury?

Children and young adults aged 5 to 28 who have not been immunized or who have received only one dose of MMR.

Children aged 12 months to 5 years who have not received any dose of MMR (the second dose usually given at 4 years can be advanced at the earliest four weeks after the first dose).

Adults aged 29 to 50 years, cohort receiving only one dose of measles vaccine.

What should you do if your GP is running out of vaccine?

The advice of the Canterbury Primary Intervention Group is not to shop. Stay with the general practice you are registered with and wait for an appointment.

When was the last significant epidemic?

There were 489 confirmed or probable cases in 2011, mainly in the Auckland region. It started with an unvaccinated child who was infected during a family trip to England.

An epidemic in 1991 resulted in thousands of people contracted by measles. Seven people died. So far in 2019, more than 30 people around New Zealand have contracted the disease, according to the Advisory Vaccination Center, including 10 in the Waikato.

How dangerous is measles?

In the United States, the number of measles cases reported is 1 to 3 out of every 1000 people infected. Measles during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery.

About 1 in 10 people with measles will need hospital treatment.

Up to 30% of people with measles will develop complications – usually children under 5 years of age and adults over 20 years old.

What are the symptoms of measles?

The symptoms of measles include a respiratory illness with dry cough, runny nose and headache. Temperatures can exceed 38 ° C and people feel very bad. A rash with red spots appears on days four to five, usually on the face before moving to the chest and arms. The time between exposure and the first symptoms is about 10 days. People are considered infectious about five days before and five days after the onset of the rash.

What should I do if I think I have symptoms?

Call your GP office 24 hours a day. A nurse will answer calls to the doctor after hours. She will tell you what to do and where to go if needed. You can also call Healthline toll-free at 0800 611 116.

For more information, visit the website of the Immunization Advisory Center.

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