Measles immunisation rates are at an all time low in New Zealand.
A University of Otago study has found the coverage for the first measles vaccine is declining, with only around 89% of those born in 2020 receiving it. In comparison, around 95% of those born in 2017 had received the vaccine.
For the second vaccine, coverage was below 90% for all years examined, the lowest percentage being 61.6% for children born in 2018.
The study said there aren't enough children under 5 who are protected against measles to stop a potential outbreak.
New data shows immunisation rates against the disease have plummeted to an all-time low. (Source: 1News)
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Paediatrician Owen Sinclair said an outbreak is inevitable if more people don't get vaccinated.
"So the immunisation rates in Aotearoa are now as low as they've ever been recorded," he said.
"We've never really immunised our children particularly well in Aotearoa and there's a large number of systemic barriers to particularly deprived populations," Sinclair remarked.
Paediatrician Owen Sinclair says an outbreak is inevitable if more people don't get vaccinated. (Source: Breakfast)
He said the key population in New Zealand who are suffering is Māori, with around 124,000 Māori people in the North Island with no protection from measles.
"They're they've fallen through the cracks, completely.
"It's a crazily worrying number of people and it completely compromises any attempt to create herd immunity."
Owen said New Zealand has already lost herd immunity against the virus, with a recent study showering the population is "highly at risk" of suffering costly, and potentially lethal, epidemic disease from measles.
"For the vast number of people, it's a bad cold, like that sort of stuff, but it has the potential to kill about one in every 1000 children who get it."
He said the "nasty kicker" of measles is that it can cause other illnesses years after infection.
"About seven years later it can cause something called panencephalitis and that's lethal and there's no cure."
Owen said if parents aren't sure if there children have had the vaccine, there is a national register people can ask their family doctor about.
"If in doubt, you should just get it again, if you get it lots of times it's no big deal, it's completely safe."
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