Measles Immunisation During COVID-19 Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) have reported a wordwide surge in measles cases.

In 2019, measles reached the highest number of reported cases in 23 years with increases in all WHO regions worldwide. Global measles deaths climbed nearly 50% since 2016, claiming an estimated 207,500 lives in 2019 alone.

Efforts to control COVID-19 have resulted in disruptions in vaccination campaigns and crippled efforts to prevent and minimize measles outbreaks. As of November 2020,  more than 94 million people were at risk of missing vaccines due to paused measles campaigns in 26 countries.

Measles outbreaks occur when people who are not protected from the virus are infected and spread the disease to unvaccinated or under-vaccinated populations.

• To control measles and prevent outbreaks and deaths, vaccination coverage rates must reach 95% of the population and be maintained at these levels.

Advice for travellers:

Measles is an acute viral illness which is spread by airborne or droplet transmission.

All children should receive two doses of Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine as part of the UK national immunisation schedule; the first at 1 year old and the second between age 3 years and 4 months - 5 years old.

MMR vaccination should also be offered to all adults to ensure that 2 doses of MMR have been received unless there is a reliable history of disease or appropriate immunisation.

• This is especially important if travellers are considered to be at high risk; for example visiting friend or relatives (VFR) or mixing closely with local population.
• If two doses of MMR are required, then the second dose should be given one month after the first.

For further information, please see:

• TRAVAX Measles Mumps Rubella page
•  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publication on worldwide progress towards measles elimination between 2000-2019.