Calls for an emergency measles vaccination drive

There are calls for an emergency measles vaccination drive amongst Ukrainian refugee children.

The Swiss Paediatric Society points out in their home country, children will only be given a second booster shot against the disease at the age of 6 and say all those under that age need to be vaccinated immediately.

Measles is one of the infections the World Health Organisation is targeting for elimination. For that to work, a vaccination rate of above 95% is needed. Switzerland is close to that, at 93% - in Ukraine that figure is at 82%.

But with 50,000 Ukrainians now in the country – it’s inevitable overall vaccination rates are now lower. 

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