HCM City launches measles vaccination campaign amid outbreak

A child is vaccinated against measles. VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Health will carry out a mass campaign to supplement measles vaccinations for children starting August 31.

A total of 300,000 doses of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is being transported to the HCM City Centre for Disease Controlfrom Hà Nội.

The MR vaccine is produced by the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals and used under the expanded national immunisation programme.

The HCM City Centre for Disease Controlexpects to receive MR vaccines on August 30 and allocate them to all health stations in 22 districts and Thủ Đức City for the measles vaccination campaign that will run throughout the upcoming National Day holiday on September 2.

All local children aged one to five, regardless of their previous vaccination record and children aged six to 16 who are being treated at hospitals, regardless of their previous vaccination record, will be vaccinated through the campaign.

Children aged six to ten who have missed their routine doses of measles-containing vaccine and healthcare workers at risk of exposure to measles, will also be immunised.

HCM City People’s Committee has declared a measles outbreak in the city amid surging infection cases and three fatalities.

The campaign will help increase the community immunity rate, reduce infections and prevent deaths from measles, particularly within high-risk groups of children who experience severe complications from measles, according to the department. VNS