The Government is planning a new vaccination programme to tackle the “dangerous and nasty condition” of measles.
It will be aimed at college and Leaving Cert students amid increasing concerns of an outbreak of the disease.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is expected to brief Cabinet on the dangers of measles today following a risk assessment carried out by the HSE last month.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Donegal-based GP Denis McCauley warned that the disease carries “a high mortality rate”.
“I think measles is a very nasty viral infection which, at the very least, will make you feel very ill,” he said.
“It will take down your immune system for a couple months and it can cause pneumonia; it can cause significant brain infections and reactions too which can kill you.
“Particularly for unvaccinated children under 15 months, it can be a very dangerous and nasty condition.”
MMR
Unfounded fears over potential side effects from the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine means many are unprotected from the disease in Ireland.
“There was a huge scare 15 years ago in relation to the MMR [vaccine],” said Dr McCauley.
“There was a lot of misinformation about autism and MMR which has since been completely debunked.
“There is a cohort of children who are now in their late teens and a high proportion of them didn’t get a vaccine.
“This is compounded with the fact that since COVID, vaccine rates in newborns and pre-preschool are dropping also.”
Suspicion
Dr McCauley said vaccines can often be met with suspicion by the public.
“There are sources of information trying to tell you that the MMR is not good for you and it can do X, Y and Z,” he said.
“But the evidence shows that is not the case and that it’s a very safe vaccine.
“Perhaps a week after you can have the vaccine you might have a slight temperature, but it’s really safe and it protects your kids from measles and mumps - which could lead to infertility down the line.”
At risk
Dr McCauley said those who did not get MMR when they were young, due to skepticism at the time, are now in an “at risk” group as adults.
“The issue is older people will spread it but it will cause problems with the young,” he said.
“Naturally, when there is a lot of measles around, we would normally aim for 95% coverage.
“But that has been dropping, particularly from 2019 to 2020 – so there’s potentially 14 to 15% of under-five and six-year-olds who could get it also.”
A total of four cases of measles were reported in Ireland last year.
Main image: A person is administered the COVID vaccine. Image: ANP / Alamy Stock Photo
