february, 2019 | The Health
junior
Vaccination for
measles now given
at nine months
M
e a sles are
caused by virus
and is highly
contagious. We
could contract it
from mucus or
saliva of an infected person.
Kelana Jaya Medical Centre Con-
sultant Paediatrician Dr Syed Nazir
Ms Kadir revealed that it takes
about five to seven days where the
infected person shows symptoms
of flu, cough followed by fever. The
rashes comes in on the third day
of the fever and spreads in a very
peculiar way.
However, Syed disclosed that
measles can only be diagnosed
clinically.
“We would see whether it looks
like measles, before proceeding with
a blood test. Symptoms include
rashes face down and behind the
ears, face, down to the body and to
the leg. The child would look really
dehydrated, dry lips, eyes are red,
cough, running nose with reduced
appetite.”
Touching on vaccination, Syed
pointed out that the government
has stepped up the age for vaccina-
tion recently following pockets of
outbreaks that occurred the last two
to three years.
“Vaccination is now given when
the child is nine months old fol-
lowed by another dose when the
child is one year old. Initially, it used
to start from one year old, but now
they are giving it at nine months.
So, protection starts earlier.”
Dr Syed Nazir Ms Kadir,
Paediatrician KMI Healthcare
Kelana Jaya Medical Centre.
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Those not
vaccinated a
danger to others
Anti-vaccer is someone from a rural
population or someone who is uneducated
on the mechanism of action of vaccines and
bases their understanding of vaccines solely
on the non-intellects around them or through
the propaganda provided by anti-vaccination
groups.
The question when posted to Kelana Jaya
Medical Centre Consultant Paediatrician Dr
Syed Nazir Ms Kadir, he merely out that these
group of people are missed informed.
“They are actually putting their kids as well
as other kids in danger. If you speak to them
in reality, they wouldn’t be able to give you a
proper answer,” he said.
“Vaccine has been proven to protect
against disease and it isn’t something new.
It has been practiced for many years. With it,
we have eradicated certain diseases like small
pox throughout the world. So vaccination
definitely works.”
“Now, we have many types of diseases
which is common. So, if you are vaccinated,
you are protected and if you aren’t, you’re
not.”
He explained that vaccination is
however not given until the child
is nine-months as the child would
have the mother’s immunity from
breastfeeding.
Difference between
chicken pox and measles
Vaccination for measles now starts
at nine months old.
Vaccination is now given when
the child is nine months old
followed by another dose when
the child is one year old. So,
protection starts earlier.”
What is the difference between the
two, you may ask?
“Both are viruses and the way
of presentation are totally differ-
ent as well. With measles – there
are rashes, but with chicken pox
there are itchy blisters filled with
water. It is severe and spreads
throughout the whole body. Every
time, there is fever - the number of
blisters increases until around the
fifth day onwards when it starts to
scab over. It also takes longer time
to recover.”
Chicken pox also has vaccine
which is available for children of one
year of age. This is again optional,
but those who want to get protected
are encouraged to do so. — The
Health
“Herd immunity in a population – if there
are 100 persons sitting there you need to
vaccinate 60 to 70 people and the 30 people
actually get immunised by the community
acquired immune system, so they are pro-
tected from the disease. Some might have the
misconception that they are not vaccinated
yet they are well, but in actual fact, they are
protected by the herd immunity system.”
“When the actual disease comes in and
there is a drop in the number of people who
get vaccinated, the herd immunity is lower
thus making them more vulnerable to such
kind of diseases. When they get it, it would
be major – so they become a danger to others,
even those who are vaccinated as they may
get the disease from those who aren’t.”
“Such is the case with measles. Almost
every week there is a child coming in with
measles and the child is usually not vac-
cinated. Complicated measles can be very
severe – it can cause pneumonia, meningitis
and Encephalitis which is permanent damage
to the brain.” — The Health