My Account
The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) is recommending all 12-month-old children in the region receive their first measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination to protect them from measles.
Previously, children were vaccinated at 15 months.
The recommendation comes in the wake of a measles outbreak in Auckland, which has seen more than 120 confirmed cases this year.
ARPHS Clinical Director Dr Julia Peters says GPs can provide other vaccinations at the same time as the MMR vaccination for the sake of convenience. These include vaccines against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), Hib (Haemophilus influenzae) and chickenpox.
“With a 12 month MMR vaccination, there’s no extra dose to be added. Children will continue to receive the second MMR at four years as usual,” Dr Peters says.
“We have seen a significant number of young babies with measles, many of whom have been hospitalised. Receiving the first dose of MMR at 12 months will increase levels of immunity in the community and provide added protection for these infants.”
ARPHS is also asking primary care providers to recall all children aged less than five years who have missed out on their first MMR vaccination.
“The virus is now spreading around the Auckland region. The only effective way to reduce the impact of measles is to increase vaccination rates in the region,” Dr Peters says.
Children travelling to countries where there are measles outbreaks can be vaccinated with MMR as early as six months of age.
Older children and adults aged up to 50 who have no documented evidence of vaccination against measles are recommended to receive an MMR vaccine. The vaccination is free.
Those over 50 years of age are considered immune, as they will have been exposed to the disease during their childhood.
Measles symptoms include fever, coughing, runny nose and sore red eyes. After three to five days, a rash appears on the face before moving down the body.
Info: Call Healthline on 0800 611 116
