The national measles campaign, which will run until Friday, 31 March, is executed especially for the well-being of learners.
Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by the measles virus, with a high rate currently reported in the country.
Any person who is not immune to measles can catch the disease from an infected person. Once a person has had measles, he or she has immunity.
Vaccination is another way to become immune to measles.
The current campaign was jointly rolled-out by the Department of Health and Education, and consists of one dose for all children from the ages of six months to 15 years.
The campaign is combined with a Vitamin A and deworming catch-up in schools and Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres across the province.
In a combined press release from the two departments, it is stated that at least 95% of measles coverage is expected in the Northern Cape.
Since it is highly contagious, Patients with measles who showcase a fever and rash, will not be allowed to attend school or go to work.
The rash looks like small, red, flat spots that start on the face or head and spread downwards over the body. The rash does not form blisters, nor is it itchy or painful. Other signs include a cough, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coryza (runny nose).
Vaccinated individuals are protected from severe symptoms of measles, mostly for the rest of their life.
Communities become vulnerable to outbreaks of measles when more than 5% of persons are not vaccinated.
It is stated that disruptions of routine immunisation services brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the longstanding challenges in vaccine preventable disease (VPD) surveillance performance.
From January to July last year, reported positive measles cases are three times higher than the years before Covid-19.
The departments assured that enough vaccines are in stock and that the cold chain will be maintained at all times – from vaccine fridges to cooler boxes – according to the specifications of the World Health Organization (WHO).
In addition, the Department of Health has bolstered its human resource capacity with the appointment of 34 professional nurses and six data capturers on contract to manage the vaccination of learners at schools and ECD centres for the said period.
The departments appeal with all parents or guardians to urgently sign and return the consent form provided to all learners by the school and ECDs. This is to grant health workers permission to immunise the children.
A child can also be taken to the nearest health facility where a measles vaccine can be administered.
