Millions of children at risk of measles due to pandemic

Over 117 million children across the world could miss out on receiving life-saving measles vaccines due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The warning comes from the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI), with the joint organisation calling for efforts to be made on protecting essential immunisation services during the Covid-19 pandemic and after. M&RI state how immunisation campaigns in 24 countries have already been delayed and more are expected to be postponed.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently issued new guidelines to help countries sustain immunisation efforts during the pandemic. The guidelines ask countries to prioritise routine immunisation of children, as well as some adult vaccinations for groups most at risk. Governments should also undertake a risk-benefit analysis when deciding to delay vaccination campaigns – with postponement a possibility when Covid-19 transmission rates are deemed unacceptably high.

“WHO is working constantly with partners and scientists to accelerate vaccine development for Covid-19, but we must also ensure people are protected against those diseases for which vaccines already exist,” said Dr Katherine O’Brien, Director of the Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals Programme at WHO. “The message from this guidance is clear. Countries should take what steps they can to sustain immunisation programmes and prevent unnecessary loss of life.”

Measles cases have surged in recent years despite there being a safe and effective vaccine available for over 50 years. In 2018, over 140,000 people died due to measles, with the majority of deaths being in children and babies.

Immunisation campaigns in 13 countries were scheduled to take place later in 2020 and may now face postponement. The M&RI estimates that over 117 million children in 37 countries, many of whom live in regions with ongoing measles outbreaks, could be impacted by the suspension of scheduled immunisation activities. The M&RI warn that this number does not include infants that may not be vaccinated because of the effect of Covid-19 on routine immunisation services.

“While we know there will be many demands on health systems and frontline workers during and beyond the threat of Covid-19, delivering all immunisation services, including measles vaccines, is essential to saving lives that would otherwise be lost to vaccine-preventable diseases,” a joint statement from M&RI, American Red Cross, U.S CDC, UNICEF, UN Foundation and WHO read.