Increasing concern over low child vaccination rates and a potential measles epidemic has resulted in a primary health provider finding a novel way to boost patient jabs.
The Cause Collective in Wiri, South Auckland, offered appointment vaccinations for measles today – as well as free donuts and family portraits for people to take home.
Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said childhood vaccination rates are at their lowest level nationwide since 2009.
“That means we’re building up more and more people who are vulnerable to measles,” Baker said. “So inevitably, we get cases introduced to New Zealand all the time, and that could spark an outbreak which could quickly turn into a national epidemic.”
It’s an increasing concern across the health sector as measles is highly infectious and contagious.
Many health workers are mindful of the impact the last measles outbreak had in Aotearoa in 2019, as well as a wave of cases in Samoa which led to 83 deaths.
Baker is encouraging parents to check their children's vaccination records.
The Cause Collective is also targeting people aged 18 to 34 due to concerns this age group may have missed the two MMR vaccinations offered for measles immunity.
The Public Health Communications Centre estimates there are more than 150,000 New Zealanders with no measles immunity and warns this is enough to sustain a national epidemic.
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