Mumbai recorded 13 deaths with Over 200 cases of measles.
Poverty, poor hygiene practices, poor quality of nutrition, and lack of vaccination in children have all contributed to the spiraling cases. We can see most of the patients are from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Most cases are reported from Bhiwandi (Thane) and Malegaon (Nashik) which lack vaccination coverage, especially among children.
religious and cultural backgrounds are also the reason why Some families didn’t immunize their children so now most of the cases are coming from age of 5 to 10. Children of age 5 or below are most vulnerable and those children which are not been vaccinated are at the greatest risk.
Are two doses of vaccines enough to stop the outbreak?
Yes, two doses are Very important as vaccines give 100 percent protection which is also proven in the studies. also confirmed the benefit. Vaccines play a vital role in the pre-elimination era. Vaccines generally take 4 weeks to develop antibodies.
Do you think the national immunization program got impacted during the pandemic?
Undoubtedly, there has been a dip in the national immunization program because of the pandemic and the lockdown. That has created a big gap. People were quite skeptical or scared about going to hospitals, clinics, or healthcare centers to get their children vaccinated as they were afraid of them picking up Covid-19.
What are the symptoms to watch out for? What is the line of treatment?
the symptoms take ten days to appear after exposure to the virus, Some initial common signs include cough, cold, runny nose, sore throat, loss of appetite, high-grade fever, and body aches. After five days, rashes appear, which look like blotchy red marks.
They usually start at the hairline or behind the ears of the child. then spread to other body parts, including the throat, limbs, and joints.
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In a few cases, there can also be tiny white dots on the roof of the mouth, which is another sign of measles.
Some common complications include red eyes, pneumonia, diarrhea, ear infections, and, in some cases, encephalitis, termed brain inflammation. In some cases, it can also lead to Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE), a fatal disease of the central nervous system. As measles is a symptomatic disease above are the notable complications.
How can we prevent a future surge?
Awareness is key to success if we really want to stop spreading this disease we need to overcome of prejudice a community might have against it doctors tell us that vaccines are entirely safe and prevents measles from becoming fatal in children.
.Some measures that can be implemented immediately include the following:
- Looking out for infected children and treating them as early as possible
- Make sure that all the children who missed the vaccines due to the lockdown and pandemic get vaccinated
- Seek medical attention from specialized doctors and pediatricians if children show any symptoms related to the disease.
READ MORE:THE RISE IN ONLINE NUTRITION CONSULTATION POST PANDEMIC- A HEALTHY YOU .
