Penedès Health District launches a measles vaccination reminder campaign

Vaccines

DraftingVillafranca del Penedes

06-06-2024 17:35

More than 3,000 families receive a text message to vaccinate their children

Penedès Health District launches a measles vaccination reminder campaign. Government of Catalonia

Health launched a campaign to encourage measles vaccination as a result of the increase in cases detected at the European level since June 2023 and the expected increase in infections this summer as a result of the population moving for the summer vacation.

In the Penedes Health District, the campaign included sending 3,170 text messages recommending the administration of two doses of the triple viral vaccine, which protects against this disease in addition to mumps and rubella, to families of children between the ages of four and ten who suffer from clinical diseases. The date does not show that they have received the full vaccination schedule so they can request an appointment at their health center to receive the vaccination. It has also been recommended that people born between 1966 and 1980 who have not received the measles vaccine and who have not had the infection complete the vaccination schedule as well. Finally, Public Health organized several training courses targeting health workers to increase their epidemiological, clinical and diagnostic awareness.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects children and can cause serious health problems. “The initial symptoms are a runny nose, cough and a mild fever at first,” explains María Ruiz Zaton, Vaccine Reference Nurse at CAP Vilafranca Nord. “White spots may also appear on the gums and inside of the cheeks. The reddish rash begins on the face, spreads over the body and continues, in On average, between seven and ten days. Infected individuals may experience complications, including otitis media, pneumonia, and encephalitis. Measles gives lifelong immunity, but all people who have not had the disease and have not been vaccinated are susceptible to it.

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Although it is a highly contagious disease, it is easily preventable through vaccination, which is 99% effective with both doses. Since 1980, Health has been working on systematic vaccination through the administration of the triple viral vaccine, which, according to the current vaccination schedule, is given in two doses: one at 12 months and the other at 3 years. In Catalonia, measles coverage is high because a large part of the population has completed the vaccination schedule. In the case of the Penedès Health District, the MPV vaccination coverage rate is 91.43% among children aged 5 years; This is a number practically equal to the Catalan average, which is 91.49%.