With 13 cases of measles, São Paulo warns of increased vaccination

Since June, SES-SP has recommended the application of a zero dose of the triple viral vaccine (measles, rubella and mumps) for babies aged 6 months to 11 months and 29 days living in the municipalities of São Paulo, Guarulhos and São Bernardo do Campo.

Dose zero is applied six months before dose one. The measure is due to the current epidemiological scenario and provides protection to newborns in the first year of life, since the first dose of the vaccine is scheduled, in normal situations, for 12 months of age. The secretariat reinforces that the zero dose does not replace the doses foreseen in the National Vaccination Calendar.

“After receiving it, the child must normally follow the routine vaccination schedule, with the first dose of the triple viral vaccine at 12 months and the second, preferably with the tetraviral vaccine [measles, rubella, mumps and chicken pox], at 15 months”, informed the SES-SP.

Children, adolescents and adults who have not received the indicated doses should also look for the nearest health unit to check their vaccination status and update their record.

Effective prevention

SES-SP has warned the population that measles can affect different age groups, which is why it is important to keep vaccinations up to date. Immunization is the main form of prevention and is also essential to stop the circulation of the virus.

"With the increase in cases, vaccination continues to be the safest and most effective way to prevent measles", highlighted the director of the Epidemiological Surveillance Center (CVE-SP), Tatiana Lang.

"It is essential that parents and guardians check their children's vaccination record, and that teenagers and adults go to a health unit to update their vaccination schedule whenever necessary," he added.

Anyone who has questions about vaccination can access the portal https://www.vacina100duvidas.sp.gov.br/. The page brings together answers to the population's main questions about vaccination, the effectiveness of vaccines, adverse events, vaccine-preventable diseases and the risks of not vaccinating.

Highly transmissible

One of the peculiarities that increases the spread of measles is that its infectious viral particles remain in aerosol suspension. In other words, the virus remains in the environment left by the infected individual, causing the contamination of other people.

“Measles does not spare people who have not been vaccinated and, in scenarios of low vaccination coverage, it is the first disease to manifest itself”, pointed out the vice-president of the Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBIn), Renato Kfoury.

He explained that Brazil had eliminated measles in 2016 and again in 2024, which does not mean that sporadic imported cases or cases resulting from contamination from these cannot occur, mainly due to existing outbreaks in America ? in the USA, Canada, Mexico and Gautemala.

"There is a risk of reintroduction, but our lesson is to strengthen the two fundamental pillars: vaccination and close surveillance. We need to maintain high coverage, ideally above 95% with both doses," he said.

Kfouri added that surveillance ensures that suspected cases are identified, tracked and contained through lockdown vaccination so that sporadic cases do not again translate into sustained circulation of the disease.

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