Time to get vaccinated against measles now
There are currently no cases of measles in Taranaki but, with New Zealand’s borders reopening soon, that may change, so people are being encouraged to get vaccinated.
An estimated 5000 people aged between 15 and 30 in Taranaki missed out on receiving their measles vaccination when they were young, Taranaki District Health Board immunisation coordinator Gill Freeman said.
‘‘It is vital they do so. New Zealand has been kept protected from the rest of the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic with border controls and quarantine requirements, so we currently do not have measles in the country.’’
‘‘But soon our borders will open to welcome people from overseas, who will bring different viruses with them, including measles.’’
As a significant proportion of Taranaki’s population carry reduced or no immunity to these diseases, ‘‘a lot of people will get very sick, very quickly.’’
Anyone who has not received their measles vaccination, which also covers mumps and rubella, or those who do not know if they did, can be immunised at any Taranaki DHB Covid-19 clinic.
No appointment is needed, just walk in and ask, Freeman said.
‘‘Measles is a severe illness that is highly contagious. Around one in 10 people need hospital care if they contract the disease, and it holds higher risks for children younger than 5 years of age, adults older than 20 years of age, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.’’
Mumps and rubella can also cause long-term health issues, such as infertility in men, and can damage a developing foetus, causing significant and lifelong disabilities.
‘‘The best way to prevent this disease taking hold in our communities is high vaccination levels – if 95 per cent of people are immunised that gives us an effective ‘herd immunity’. It is quite safe to receive a booster dose, so if a person is unsure if they got it when they were young, they should have it now, to protect themselves and their community.’’