HSE hopes catch-up vaccination will minimize risk of outbreak – Irish Times

The HSE is committed to risking a measles outbreak in Ireland by maximizing vaccine availability and educating people about the steps they should take if they suspect they or their children may have measles. trying to reduce the

It is understood that the disease model is currently unclear as to whether Ireland is facing a major outbreak, with one confirmed case resulting in the death of a 48-year-old man last week. The World Health Organization confirmed the infection. This winter, measles cases increased 45 times in Europe.

Meanwhile, health officials in the north have warned that there is a “likely” number of cases in Northern Ireland, given the “alarming rise” in infections and declining vaccination rates across Europe, including the UK. He urged people to be careful.

The NI Department of Health said on Thursday it was “only a matter of time” before cases were detected there.

The catch-up vaccination program is being rolled out by the Republic’s regional public health authorities under the overall direction of the National Immunization Agency.

This follows three possible measles cases reported by the Health Protection Surveillance Center (HPSC) this week. A public health alert has been issued due to a confirmed case.

“The first case was reported in Ireland in 2024, and measles outbreaks in the UK and Europe have led to increased awareness of measles among Irish clinicians,” the HSE said in a statement.

[ How worried should I be about measles? A doctor’s guide to a highly infectious disease ]

[ Three further possible cases of measles reported in Ireland ]

The Measles Incident Management Team was established in response to the outbreak and is chaired by Dr Lucy Jessop, Director of the National Immunization Agency.

HPSC Director Dr Greg Martin says if you have symptoms consistent with measles and feel you are at risk, you can call your GP and be seen in a safe environment rather than going directly to the surgery. He said that arrangements should be made.

He said the catch-up vaccination program targets people who have not been vaccinated or who have not completed the two-dose MMR injection program, which is given at around 12 months of age and four or five years of age. It is said that

As part of routine public health measures, public health teams investigate the incidence of possible measles and it is not unusual for more than one possible case to be notified each week, the HSE said. Ta. If there is a possibility of infection, the notification can then be removed or confirmed through laboratory testing.

Measles vaccination is offered to children over 6 years of age and to adults who have not previously been fully immunized, but because it is highly contagious, they may have measles and require a hospital emergency. Procedures are also in place for people attending outpatient clinics.

Measles is spread by coughing, sneezing, close contact, and direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions.

Symptoms include cold-like symptoms. Red eye pain that may be sensitive to light. High temperature; small gray-white spots in the mouth. The rash usually appears on the head and neck before spreading to other parts of the body.

Ireland reported 4 confirmed cases of measles in 2023, 2 confirmed cases in 2022, 0 confirmed cases in 2021 and 5 confirmed cases in 2020 was reported. No deaths were reported in either year. The HPSC had provisionally reported nine suspected measles cases this year as of last Saturday.

Uptake of MMR vaccine in Ireland is currently below 95% of the target uptake recommended by the WHO. Nationally, the adoption rate has been below 90% for seven consecutive quarters.

[ Measles Q&A: How do I know if I have measles, and what should I do if I have it? ]

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Rhoda Geoghegan said: “While there have been no confirmed cases of measles in Northern Ireland since 2017, it is only a matter of time before the disease is reported here.”

Furthermore, she added: “It is important that everyone realizes that the most effective way to prevent measles is to take two large doses of the MMR vaccine.Measles can cause serious illness in children. Some people who have sex with measles suffer from life-altering complications when they contract measles.”

A Westmeath man died in Mullingar Hospital after contracting measles after traveling to the UK. Contact tracing by public health doctors includes hospital staff who treated him after he visited the hospital, as well as people who boarded the same bus he took or the restaurant where he ate. be.

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