Measles has recently broken out in many places, with confirmed cases reported in popular travel destinations for Hong Kong residents such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom! With the Easter holidays approaching, parents may already be planning family trips with their children. How can you have a fun holiday while also safeguarding your family's health? We know you have many questions about measles, so we've invited paediatrician Dr. Chan Yan-wing to answer them for you!
The best way to prevent measles is vaccination.
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles. Under the current "Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme", children born in Hong Kong will receive 2 doses of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella combined vaccine (MMR), also known as the MMR vaccine, free of charge at Maternal and Child Health Centres when they are 12 months and 18 months old.
According to data from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), protection against measles is approximately 93% after one dose of the MMR vaccine, and approximately 97% after two doses.
Can infants under one year old be vaccinated against measles in advance if they need to travel to a high-risk area for measles?
For infants between 6 months and under 12 months old who need to travel to measles-endemic areas, a dose of the MMR vaccine can be administered at a private clinic at their own expense. Generally, antibodies take at least two weeks to develop after vaccination, so it is best to consult a doctor and get vaccinated at least 2 weeks before departure.
However, please note that even if you choose to pay for vaccinations before the age of one, your baby must still receive the two free doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12 and 18 months of age at a Maternal and Child Health Centre, in accordance with the current "Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme".
However, infants under 6 months old are not yet suitable for the MMR vaccine, and therefore cannot be privately vaccinated in advance.
Q3: Can pregnant women get the measles vaccine?
Pregnant women are not suitable for the MMR vaccine. However, generally speaking, citizens born in Hong Kong after 1967 have completed two doses of the MMR vaccine and do not need booster shots.
Q4: How can I know if I have been vaccinated against measles, or if my measles antibody levels are sufficient?
If you have any doubts about this, you can go to a private clinic for a blood test. Through the blood test, you can know if your measles antibodies are sufficient, and then decide whether you need a booster shot.
If measles antibody levels are insufficient, how should the measles vaccine be administered?
General practitioners will recommend that individuals with insufficient measles antibodies (excluding pregnant women), who are travelling to high-risk areas, can get two doses of the MMR vaccine. The first dose and the second dose should be administered 28 days apart to ensure sufficient antibody protection is generated.
Source: Parent Kingdom Baby-Kingdom.com (22 March 2024): https://bit.ly/43yHUdS
