THE HSE IS urging parents who plan to travel abroad with children during the Easter break to ensure that they have been vaccinated against measles as outbreaks are recorded internationally.

The health service is advising parents to make sure children are up to date with their MMR vaccines, which protect against measles, mumps and rubella, if they are travelling outside of Ireland during the upcoming Easter holidays from school.

Most cases of measles reported in Ireland in recent years have been imported from other countries or are linked to imported cases. 

Outbreaks have been reported in several countries so far in 2023, including the US, South Africa, Nepal and Austria.

The World Health Organisation recently published an updated fact sheet about measles with information on the symptoms, transmission, treatment and prevention.

In a statement this afternoon, Dr Suzanne Cotter, Specialist in Public Health Medicine at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said that measles is “highly infectious and can be an acute and serious infection”.

“It causes a rash illness, with cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and high fever,” Dr Cotter said. “Complications of measles include ear infections, pneumonia, febrile seizures and less commonly encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and even death.”

“The only protection against measles is vaccination,” Dr Cotter said, advising that two doses of the MMR vaccine are required. She said that if a child is not fully protected, the vaccines can be obtained from a GP or travel health clinic.

In Ireland, the first dose of MMR is offered when children are 12 months of age and is available from GPs.

HSE Immunisation Lead and Consultant in Public Health Medicine Dr Lucy Jessop said that the lead-up to an overseas trip is a “good time to check your vaccination records”.

“Parents should enjoy their time abroad but please don’t get ill with measles or bring it home,” Dr Jessop said.

“A booster dose is offered by HSE school vaccination teams when children are in Junior Infants. If a child has missed their MMR vaccines it’s not too late to get protected,” she said.

The most recent information on the uptake of the second dose of MMR in Ireland for children in the 2020/2021 school year was 88%, down from 91% reported for the 2019/2020 school year.

“Both of these uptake rates are well below the 95% uptake rates recommended by WHO to stop measles transmission and indicate gaps in immunity,” Dr Jessop said.