Jakarta Pushing Measles Vaccination in Slum, High-density Neighborhoods

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Health Office is rolling out measles immunization in densely populated and slum areas to curb transmission. In January last year, there were 253 cases of measles in Jakarta, mostly in areas with low immunization coverage, densely populated areas, areas with poor sanitation and low nutrition, and neighborhoods bordering with Depok, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi.

"Measles transmission is the same as Covid-19 but far more contagious and very fast," the Health Office's head of surveillance, epidemiology, and immunization Ngabila Salama said as quoted from Antara, Wednesday, January 25.

Ngabila said that the increase in measles cases also occurred because surveillance and immunization coverage for Measles and Rubella/MR decreased during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2022.

The Health Office urges parents to give their children three MR vaccines at the ages of nine months, 18 months of age, and first grade of Elementary School (SD). The vaccines are free from the government.

Not just toddlers and infants, measles can infect adults, too. Residents aged 18 and older who contracted measles are urged to get vaccinated one month after they recovered. The recommended number of vaccination is twice in a lifetime with a minimum interval of 28 days. Vaccination for adults is not free or paid.

Measles transmits fairly fast by air, droplets, and skin contact. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and red rashes that appear four days after the start of the fever.

Antara

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