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May 03, 2022
Missing measles shots raise post-Covid threat
Peter Verschaffelt
Posted On May 3, 2022
Download AudioPapakura Marae GP Matire Harwood says the challenge of addressing Covid has meant health authorities have taken their eye off the ball over vaccinations against other dangerous diseases.
The Auckland University associate professor says too many whanau have missed vaccinating their tamariki for mumps, measles and rubella.
There’s a fear case could roar back over winter as people move back indoors.
“There is now a shift back to preventing what can be very serious and have lifelong complications, so really important we get back focusing on there, get people immunised as quickly as possible,” Dr Harwood says.
Dr Harwood says successful Covid vaccination initiatives such as whanau days, drive throughs and extended hours could be applied to other childhood immunisations, and there’s also a need to get people back into the routine of having their children checked regularly.
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