Measles: Urgency needed to address inequity and close immunity gap

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Vaccines

Measles: Urgency needed to address inequity and close immunity gap

1 March 2023

By Mary Nowlan and Andrea Teahan

Wednesday 1 March 2023, 12:45 AM

Figure 1. Immunisation coverage for all age-appropriate immunisations, by milestone age

[Image: Ministry of Health]

Timely administration of vaccinations provides effective defence against measles, but work is needed to improve immunisation coverage

Key points, Aotearoa is at increasing risk of measles outbreaks with the return of international travel. Those with an unreliable vaccination history are most a, Pract Green w Pale Yellow

Health Equity

References

Turner N. A measles epidemic in New Zealand: Why did this occur and how can we prevent it occurring again? N Z Med J 2019;132(1504):8–12.
Guerra FM, Bolotin S, Lim G, et al. The basic reproduction number (R0) of measles: a systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis 2017;17(12):e420–28.
Ministry of Health. Communicable Disease Control Manual: Measles. January 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Global Measles Outbreaks. 8 February 2022.
CDC. Global Progress Against Measles Threatened Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic. 10 November 2021.

Further reading: Charania N, Paynter J, Turner N. MMR vaccine coverage and associated factors among overseas born refugee children resettled in Aotearoa New Zealand: a national retrospective cohort study. Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific 2023:33;100709.

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