When we first met, I told you that measles and rubella are very contagious diseases, and a person can get infected without knowing it because there are not always specific signs. These diseases can spread quickly in communities where many people are not vaccinated. When several people get infected in a community at the same time, it’s called an epidemic. This is very serious because children infected with measles and those in the womb of mothers infected with rubella can develop severe forms of these diseases and may not survive, or if lucky, they may recover but with disabling consequences.
Fortunately, I am here to help you protect your children from these nasty diseases. Here’s why medical experts who have evaluated my effectiveness recommend administering me twice:
The first time, I trigger the formation of a frontline army in your children’s bodies ready to fight measles and rubella germs.
The second time, I increase the number of soldiers and make them stronger and more enduring to add a second line of defense against these germs. At this point, even if a measles or rubella germ manages to pass the first line, it would be unable to pass the second. This means that your child would no longer be able to develop severe forms of these diseases, even though in exceptional cases, they might have a mild form.
My second dose is important for two reasons: to strengthen your child’s protection and prevent epidemics by increasing the number of well-protected children in your community. If all parents follow my vaccination schedule, over time these diseases will disappear because their germs will no longer find children to infect. In Cameroon, my two doses are administered free of charge to children aged 9 to 23 months, and if a child missed me at that age, they can catch up between 24 and 59 months. Feel free to speak to a qualified health professional to learn more about me and plan your children’s complete vaccination, even after this campaign.
Feel free to leave a comment (or ask questions) if you found this article helpful, and share it to educate someone else. See you soon!
Dr Christelle Mpoulet, Freelance Writer (production of medical content combining scientific rigour and editorial clarity for an effective and impactful health communication)
