Highly contagious: Measles could spread between four days before and after the onset of the ‘measle-like’ rash.
PETALING JAYA: Preventable diseases such as measles can spread quickly due to a drop in routine vaccinations, say health experts as they urge parents to ensure their children are fully immunised.
Universiti Malaya expert in epidemiology and public health Prof Dr Sanjay Rampal said the number of new cases drastically dropped when immunisation against measles was introduced in the National Immunisation Programme (NIP).
However, he said in recent years, the herd immunity was reduced in certain areas as clusters of parents withheld immunisation for their children.
“As a result, there are periodic outbreaks in our community as susceptibility among children to measles increases,” he said when contacted.
Dr Sanjay said measles could spread between four days before and after the onset of the “measle-like” rash.
The complications of measles include infection of the lungs and brain, and the risk is even higher for babies, young children, pregnant women and the immunocompromised.
“Anyone who has not been infected with measles should strongly consider getting the vaccine,” he said.
Public health advocate and former Health Ministry official Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar also urged parents to get their children fully vaccinated against measles.
“Parents should follow the national immunisation schedule under the NIP and avoid exposing their children to other infected children,” he said.
Some adults with weakened immunity could also develop complications from measles.
“They also can get serious complications such as pneumonia,” he said.
Writer Hanim Hamdan, 38, said while her five-year-old daughter had completed her immunisation schedule, including mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine when she was an infant, she would not hesitate to give her child a third jab should the need arise.
“For the time being, I am not too worried about measles, probably because I haven’t heard it happening around me yet,” said Hanim, adding that if authorities were offering extra jabs, then that would mean there was an outbreak.
“I trust the authorities to have the numbers and figures for that situation.
“The best advice is to follow through with the recommendation by health authorities because they are the ones who conducted the analysis of the disease,” said Hanim.
Analyst Fariza Ahmad, 42, said as a parent, she felt angry that there were individuals who refused to immunise their children, as it put the larger society at risk.
“They are so gung-ho about the (allegedly negative) effects of vaccines, but so nonchalant when they deliberately expose other people’s children to harm.
“If children experience spiked fever, it can damage their brains, then who will these anti-vaxxers blame next?
“Parents who refuse to vaccinate their children and send them to schools should be charged for causing harm,” she said.
Fariza added that even with the spectre of the Covid-19 pandemic, this group still failed to comprehend how contagious diseases could harm wider society.
“At the end of the day, you can cure all the diseases, but you won’t be able to cure stupidity,” she said.
