WASHINGTON: The risk of high measles outbreaks after more than 22 million infants missed their first vaccine dose during the Pandemic Covid-19 in 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) and US centers for controlling and prevention of disease (CDC) were warned.
The measles case reported fell more than 80% last year compared to 2019, but the higher number of children lost their vaccine doses made them vulnerable, shared reports by WHO and US CDC showed on Wednesday.
About 3 million children missed a shot in 2020 from the previous year, the biggest increase in two decades, threatened global efforts ultimately eradicating very contagious viral diseases.
“A large number of children who are not vaccinated, measles outbreaks, and disease detection and diagnostics transferred to support Covid-19 response are factors that increase the likelihood of measles and serious complications in children,” US CDC Immunization Head, Kevin Cain, “said.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known, more than Covid-19, Ebola, Tuberculosis or Flu.
This can be very dangerous for infants and small children, with pneumonia among the possibility of complications.
In 2019, the case – the measles-casual case reported at the highest of almost a quarter of a century.
The latest report said 24 measles vaccination campaign was originally planned for 2020 in 23 countries postponed, leaving more than 93 million people in risk.
“It is very important that vaccination countries as fast as possible against Covid -19, but this requires new resources so that it does not come with the cost of an important immunization program, “said Dr.
Kate O’Brie N, Director of the WHO immunization department, vaccine and biological.
“Routine immunization must be protected and strengthened; if not, we risk trading one deadly disease for others,” he said.