Non-vaccination led to measles outbreak, doctors: 8% of children have not received the second dose

The increase in measles cases not only in European countries, but recently also in the region, is seen by experts as a threat to the spread of the disease in our country, where 14 affected children were reported during March.

However, according to experts, there is no need to panic, but to strictly adhere to the vaccination schedule because the unvaccinated are at even greater risk of being infected. This situation has alarmed parents, but also institutions, which have launched increased controls.

From last week onwards, the Health Inspectorate is on the ground in non-public preschool institutions to verify children's vaccination records in order to identify kindergartens and nurseries that have accepted unvaccinated children in violation of the rules.

being vaccinated

The outbreak of a measles outbreak in Fier and several other cases outside this municipality have repeatedly shown the fact that failure to vaccinate children on time is always the cause of this situation. We currently have 14 infected children.

 "The cases are from 0-14 years old with a predominance of 2-4 years old. 10 cases belong to a non-public kindergarten in Fier, 1 case also in Fier, but with no epidemiological connection to this kindergarten, one case in Vau e Dejës, one case in Tirana and one in Lezha. 9 of the 14 confirmed cases were found to be unvaccinated," said epidemiologist Artan Simaku.

Currently, measles is circulating at worrying levels in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro due to movement. The IPH warns of an increase in infections. Currently, the vaccination coverage with a single dose is 81%, a threshold that cannot prevent infections.

"We have thousands of cases in Romania, many cases in Montenegro and the same in Serbia. With population movements, the possibility of infection remains high and this disease can be deadly for the unvaccinated."

Vaccination should be done at the right time as recommended by the calendar, at the age of 12 months and 5 years. Currently, the vaccination coverage of one dose is 81%, while that of two doses is 92%. The threshold of vaccination coverage that enables the prevention of outbreaks should be above 95%”, said epidemiologist Simaku.

APPEAL

Epidemiologist Fabian Cenko says that measles vaccination coverage should be above 95% to avoid an outbreak in the population.

"Faced with this, the first and most effective solution is to try to maintain the vaccination coverage of children between 1 and 5 years old at high levels, that is, no less than 95%, while in Albania currently the vaccination coverage of children with the first dose is 83%, with the second dose it is 92% and this shows that there is a significant percentage of children who are not vaccinated," said the doctor.

There are parents who refuse to administer the MMR vaccine to their children, as they link it to the occurrence of autism, but epidemiologist Cenko assures citizens that this vaccine has no negative effect on the body.

"One thing must be said, the measles vaccine is efficient, it is very efficient that it has an indisputable effect, the measles virus does not change. Consequently, it is a vaccine that if I had it 30 years ago, I am still protected today.

"A vaccine without any side effects," said Cenko. In the capital's Health Centers, there are many parents in favor of the MMR vaccine, who are rushing to apply it.

"He's not old enough yet, but we'll definitely do it, we have faith in the vaccine," says a parent.

The measles vaccine is administered in two doses and is on the mandatory vaccination schedule. The first dose is administered at the end of the first year of life and the second at the age of 5. Measles is not necessarily a serious disease, but the possibility of hospitalization or loss of life cannot be ruled out./ Gazeta Panorama