Calls for an emergency measles vaccination drive

Tuesday, 31 May 2022 06:30

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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