Parents urged: Vaccinate your kids against measles

MANILA: A paediatrician on Thursday urged parents to schedule their children for vaccination against measles as the health department warned that another outbreak may occur next year.

Parents are scared to take their children to hospitals and health centres due to the Covid-19 pandemic, said Dr. Cynthia Cuayo-Huico, paediatrician and fellow at the Philippine Pediatric Society.

“We are really scared because we might have another measles epidemic,” she said.

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“Our clinics are open. Just schedule your children because we don’t want them to mingle with each other.”

Cuayo-Huico warned of severe complications such as severe pneumonia and encephalitis should children fail to be immunised against the disease.

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Two doses of vaccine as the child reaches a year old are recommended, while repeat doses are urged once they turn 4 and 12 years old, Cuayo-Huico said.

Measles, caused by a virus that infects the respiratory tract, can be passed through direct contact and through the air.

Its complications include severe diarrhoea, pneumonia, blindness, and even death, according to the health department.