Gauteng Health Urges Consent Amid 400+ Measles Cases

The Gauteng Department of Health has launched a six-week Measles-Rubella (MR) mass vaccination campaign aimed at vaccinating over three million children to combat an ongoing measles outbreak, with more than 400 confirmed cases reported since January. Parents and guardians are urged to sign consent forms through schools to ensure their children's participation, as low immunization coverage poses a significant health risk. The department reassures that the MR vaccine is safe, having undergone extensive clinical trials and regulatory reviews, and stresses the importance of timely vaccination to prevent serious consequences of measles. Similarly, Interior Health in British Columbia reminds parents to check and update their children's immunization records, emphasizing that two doses of the measles vaccine provide nearly 100% protection and lifelong immunity. In the north-east of England and Cumbria, vaccination rates have not yet reached the 95% threshold required for herd immunity, with fears that declining rates could lead to further outbreaks, prompting health experts to advocate for full MMR vaccination coverage. Across these regions, health authorities highlight the critical role of immunization in protecting children and communities from measles and urge parents to prioritize vaccination as schools reopen and interaction increases.