Medical expert calls for increase in measles vaccinations in Gauteng
Gauteng recently recorded 181 laboratory-confirmed cases, with hotspots identified in Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni.
A child with measles. Picture: CDC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
CAPE TOWN - A medical expert has called for an increase in measles vaccinations in Gauteng, as the province continues to deal with an outbreak
Gauteng recently recorded 181 laboratory-confirmed cases, with hotspots identified in Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni.
Academic division head of the school of nursing at the University of the Western Cape, Associate Professor Talitha Croxley, said that vaccination coverage in the province remains under 75%, which was well below the threshold to prevent outbreaks.
"For us to prevent a measles outbreak, we actually need less than 5% who are not vaccinated in a community. So 95% vaccination coverage."
Croxley gave possible reasons why people were not getting vaccinated.
"Post-COVID, we had many people who could not access vaccinations. Some people come from marginalised communities, and parents may be hesitant to vaccinate their children. So there may be many reasons.
Croxely said that recent campaigns in the Western Cape resulted in a 90% vaccination coverage in the province.