MMR protects our mokopuna.
As we watch the increasing numbers of measles cases across the motu, I thought it was important to share some really big messages for whānau to keep our mokopuna safe.
Unfortunately, now we have community spread in these cases from the top to the bottom of the motu.
Back in 2019, we had more than 2,000 cases of measles.
More than 760 of those cases required hospitalisation. A large number of those hospitalisations are mokopuna.
For every three tamariki under one year of age, two of those tamariki were hospitalised.
Also, the under five-year-old, so one to four. Again, 50/50 chance that those mokopuna are going to be sick and require hospitalisation.
Our babies are at the highest risk.
We really need to get ahead of measles.
There's a lot of childhood illnesses which are just high fevers and rashes.
The difference with our measles babies is they're really māuiui (sick). They are inconsolable. They might have a really bad headache, struggling to breathe. So, the best thing to do to protect our mokopuna is with immunisation.
The immunisation is free for everyone, and it protects our mokopuna. MMR saves lives.
Protect our mokopuna - on time vaccinations, MMR at 12 months of age.
So get those babies protected. Anyone who was born after 1969, you might have not had both doses of MMR. So it's really important that you also go and get a vaccination.
If you're not sure if you've had your MMR, just go get another one.
Don't wait until they are sick. Get ahead of it.
