Rubella Vaccination

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Get Educated, Get Vaccinated

With Measles-Rubella vaccination camp scheduled for 19 Jan 2019, i.e.; on Saturday, there is confusion in the minds of parents on whether to vaccinate their children or not.

One of the parents, a resident of Sonkatch, said on Friday that it was confusing whether this vaccination was compulsory and if at all they were vaccinated, could the children attend classes on that day. The camp organisers should either conduct the vaccination drive on a holiday or declare a holiday for the school when the camp was conducted, the parent said.Meanwhile, the district administration has stated in a release that parents need not believe any rumour about “side-effects” of the vaccine as it was safe and effective. Parents should utilise the opportunity to vaccinate their children. The objective of the government was to eliminate measles and congenital rubella syndrome by 2020 and build up immunity in children aged between nine months and 15 years.

Measles vaccine was being given since 1985 under a universal immunization programme and it proved to be safe. It prevented the ill-effects associated with measles virus that caused diarrhea, pneumonia or even death among young children.

The congenital rubella syndrome in pregnancy could cause abortion, still birth and intrauterine growth retardation. A child born with rubella virus would suffer from deafness, blindness, cardiac defects, mental retardation and liver disorder.

While the State had a targeted population of 2.32 crore children. Two thirds of the target group was students of schools.

Three rooms would be used in a school during the vaccination drive -one for administering the vaccine and the rest for taking rest and observation. Only after getting their parent’s consent, the children would be vaccinated. 

Team comprising one trained urban health nurse, one village health nurse and one sector health officer had cover rubella vaccination in the 181 students. Indelible ink had marked on the left thumb of the vaccinated child for identification.