Southern District Health Board (SDHB) medical officer of health Dr Susan Jack is calling on young people who haven’t been immunised for measles to get their free catch-up MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.

People aged 15 to 30-years-old can currently be vaccinated free of charge at general practices around the region.

“If you haven’t been immunised, or you cannot find your childhood vaccination records and your GP does not have a copy of them, then the Ministry of Health recommends you have the MMR vaccine now,” Susan said.

In recent years Southern has experienced a significant measles outbreak in Queenstown and cases in Dunedin, Oamaru, Wanaka and Gore, Susan said. In Southern towns and cities there were 72 cases of measles in 2019, and New Zealand-wide there were more than 2,000 cases.

“Measles is a serious disease that is about eight times more contagious than COVID-19,” Susan said. “Getting immunised is the best way to protect young people, their whānau and community from catching and spreading measles.”

Measles is eight times more infectious than COVID-19. PHOTO: Supplied

“There are no additional safety concerns with having an extra dose. However, women who are pregnant cannot have the MMR vaccine.”

Susan’s call to Southern youth and their whānau is part of the national measles campaign recently launched by the Ministry of Health, the focus of which is to improve the immunity against measles among 15 to 30-year-olds.

“Many people born in New Zealand between 1990 and 2005 are not fully protected because a higher than usual number of them did not have their scheduled childhood MMR vaccinations,” Susan said.

“People who have come from overseas, including the Pacific Islands, may have had different vaccines that may not fully protect them against measles, mumps and rubella,” she said.

Young people can get their free catch-up vaccinations now from general practices across the Southern district.

Learn more about measles and the MMR vaccination here.