Accelerating measles vaccination to control the epidemic

Understanding Measles

BSCKII Pham Manh Than - An Viet Hospital said that measles is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus belonging to the family paramyxovirus. The disease is transmitted through the respiratory tract, often starting to flare up strongly in the winter - spring. Measles is transmitted mainly through direct contact with nasal and throat disease of infected people through drops when coughing, sneezing or talking. In addition, the disease can also be transmitted indirectly through objects infected with the patient's nasal and throat disease.

With the possibility of strong spread, stopping infection in the community can only be done when the immunoprotective rate reaches over 95%.

"All people who are not immune to measles are at risk of getting sick. In Vietnam, groups at high risk of measles include: Young children, who are no longer immune from mother's transmission and have not been vaccinated; Children who have been vaccinated but have not created immunity; Adults who have never had measles or have not been vaccinated," informed Dr. Pham Manh Than.

A measles case can infect 12-18 people, with a much faster rate and range of spread than flu and chickenpox. If not detected early and treated promptly, the disease can cause dangerous complications such as: laivaitis, bronchitis, pneumonia; encephalitis, meningitis; enterocolitis, enteritis, coronary ulcers; immunosuppression, and can even cause death.

Accelerating vaccination

Dr. Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Prevention and Control (Ministry of Health), said that the majority of measles cases are children from 9 months to under 15 years old (72.7%), of which more than 95% of patients have not been vaccinated or have not yet been vaccinated. Measles outbreaks mainly occur in big cities, but are also increasing in mountainous provinces.

Although the measles epidemic has tended to decrease, it is still necessary to be cautious and continue to record suspected cases in the provinces, especially in ethnic minority areas and areas with difficulty accessing medical services. However, with drastic epidemic prevention measures, such as containment, control and vaccination, the epidemic situation is still under control.

Provinces and cities are speeding up the vaccination progress according to Official Dispatch No. 23/CD-TTg dated March 15, 2025 of the Government, implementing the second vaccination campaign in 2025 in 54 provinces and cities.

The Department of Prevention and Control requests the Departments of Health of provinces and cities to closely monitor the epidemic, coordinate with medical facilities to assess and propose solutions, and promptly deploy vaccination. Districts with high cases are given priority for vaccination, completing the campaign in March 2025, at the same time deploying expanded immunization, catch-up vaccination, monthly catch-up vaccination and coordinating with the media to update the epidemic situation and mobilize people to get fully vaccinated.