TORONTO, February 20 (360info) Storms are currently brewing in many parts of the world. India, Great Britain, and the Americas.
Health experts are sounding the alarm about a resurgence of measles, a completely preventable disease with potentially devastating consequences.
Australia also reported a small number of cases in January after a woman traveled to India, where the disease is still prevalent. The incident has sparked renewed calls for parents to ensure their children are vaccinated.
In the UK, measles cases among children and young people are increasing due to insufficient vaccine uptake.
In the Americas, cases and outbreaks have occurred in several countries, with the United States reporting 26 cases in December and January alone, compared to 58 in all of 2023. .
The World Health Organization reported a 45-fold increase in the number of measles cases in Europe from 2022 to 2023. Infections have since spread across the UK, Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia, prompting public health officials to urgently urge people to get vaccinated.
This recent measles resurgence threatens to undo decades of progress in measles control and eradication since vaccines became available 60 years ago. Changing this trend, or even eradicating measles completely, is not impossible, but it will require serious efforts and learning from past mistakes.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. In unprotected populations, each case can infect up to 18 people. It can affect several organ systems and cause complications such as pneumonia, ear infections, and brain swelling, and it is estimated that one in every 1,000 people infected will die. Because it affects the immune system, it can reduce its ability to fight other infections even years later.
Measles vaccines saved an estimated 57 million lives from 2000 to 2022. This vaccine is key to measles elimination (stopping the circulation of the virus) and eventual eradication (complete disappearance of measles).
Diagnosis of measles is usually easy through laboratory or lab tests. Vaccination is an inexpensive, safe and highly effective preventive measure.
Although several primate species can be infected with measles, humans are the only natural host and other primates are thought to be unable to effectively transmit the virus. This means that it is possible to eliminate measles from some parts of the world and eradication is possible.
The challenge in eliminating measles is that about 95 percent of the population needs to develop immunity.
Achieving such high vaccine uptake is difficult under the best of circumstances. Measles is so contagious that even a small drop in vaccination can quickly cause an outbreak, spreading measles even in areas that have been measles-free for decades.
Vaccine hesitancy, limited access to vaccines in remote and resource-challenged areas, and conflicts around the world led to nearly 900,000 measles cases in 2019, the highest number in the world since 1996. of cases were recorded.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the problem of missed vaccinations, with approximately 61 million children missing out on childhood measles vaccination between 2020 and 2022.
These factors are now creating a perfect storm as pandemic restrictions ease and people start socializing and traveling while vaccination levels remain dangerously low.
It will be difficult to move away from the brink of a measles resurgence. The Measles and Rubella Partnership says: “Measles moves fast, so we must act faster.”
However, measles elimination is achievable if we apply the lessons learned about vaccination during and before the pandemic.
The top priority is increasing vaccination coverage, ensuring that children are vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, as well as older children and adults to close the immunity gap. The ultimate goal is to achieve 95% coverage with two measles vaccinations. Doing this requires public health authorities to be nimble and flexible.
Vaccination programs cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach as different groups have different needs, concerns and challenges to address. Rather, the key to success is making vaccines accessible and convenient based on community needs.
This tailored approach, recommended in the UK, includes mobile vaccination services, expanded clinic hours and easy booking.
Appropriate disease surveillance systems are needed to detect infected cases so that the spread can be controlled if they occur.
Based on 2022 data, half of the countries that reported on their measles surveillance capacity do not meet WHO surveillance standards. This means that you may have measles outbreaks within your borders and not be aware of it.
At the same time, it is essential that we continue to tackle vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
As we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing information about vaccines, including what they do, how they work, and addressing specific concerns from the general public and specific groups. Offering will help build trust between communities and health care providers and increase vaccine uptake.
As the experience of the Americas, which achieved regional measles elimination in 2016 but unfortunately was unable to sustain it, shows that countries are stepping up their efforts to eradicate measles and, ultimately, eliminate it. Political will and strong commitment are needed to be able to take initiative. (360info.org) NPK NPK