Is vaccination the answer to preventing a measles epidemic?

Scores of Auckland children not vaccinated against measles are being urged to stay away from school after coming into contact with the potentially fatal disease.

Health officials say the stay-away is voluntary but they have the power to ban people.

The new cases bring to five the number of confirmed cases of measles in the region, after the outbreak of the viral infection spread north from Otago and Christchurch.

Is vaccination the answer to preventing a measles epidemic?