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Measles is a virus-induced, extremely infectious, debilitating illness. Prior to the implementation of measles vaccine in 1963 and mass vaccination, major epidemics occurred about every 2-3 years and measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths per year. More than 140 000 people died of measles in 2018 – mainly children under 5 years of age, despite the availability of a safe and reliable vaccine.
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Measles is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family which is typically spread by close contact and by the air. The virus infects the respiratory tract and spreads across the body. Measles is a human illness that is not believed to occur in animals.
Accelerated immunization activities have had a positive effect on the elimination in measles mortality. Measles vaccine prevented an estimated 23,2 million deaths between 2000 and 2018. Global measles deaths decreased by 73 per cent from an estimated 536 000 in 2000* to 142 000 in 2018. Botswana has now embarked on 12 days accelerated immunisation against measles in order to reduce under 5 morbidity and mortality caused by measles.
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The first symptom of measles is generally high fever, which starts from 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus and lasts 4 to 7 days. In the initial stage, a runny nose, a cough, swollen and watery eyes, and tiny white spots within the cheeks will appear. A rash erupts after few days, generally on the face and upper neck. The rash stretches for about three days, gradually spreading out to the hands and feet.
Any measles-related deaths are caused by disease-related complications. Severe complications are most frequent in children under 5 years of age or people over 30 years of age. The more dangerous risks include blindness, encephalitis (an inflammation that triggers brain swelling), extreme/severe diarrhoea and associated vomiting, ear infections, or serious respiratory infections such as pneumonia. Severe measles is more common in undernourished young children, especially those with inadequate vitamin A, or whose immune systems have been compromised by HIV/AIDS or other diseases.
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Unvaccinated small children are at the greatest risk for measles and its complications, including death.
Why do we need to vaccinate children?
Vaccination prevents measles-related complications and death as stated above.
How safe is the Measles vaccine, specially the one being used in Measles campaign?
The vaccine is a safe and an effective vaccine, in use for over 40 years and in many countries across the world. Like with any other injectable vaccine, there could be mild pain and redness at the injection site, low – grade fever, rash and muscle aches, which subsides on its own. The vaccine is not known to cause any other adverse event.
Source: BWGovernment
