Measles: Health authorities urge parents to get kids vaccinated as supplies improve

Ideally 95 per cent of the community should be vaccinated to be protected against further outbreaks, says a health professional. Photo / File

Local health authorities are urging parents to ensure their children get their measles vaccine as supply numbers improve.

With 33 cases of measles in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Board areas since the beginning of last month, and 10 confirmed this month, the risk remains high.

Further vaccine supply has improved lately for the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) that protects against measles. It is free for everyone.

Medical officer of health for Toi Te Ora Public Health Dr Jim Miller said the vaccine supply was sufficient for them to focus on having children vaccinated at 15 months and four years.

Stocks are also good enough that infants travelling overseas and to Auckland can have their vaccine earlier, Miller said.

The local priority remained making sure young children got their shots on time and giving older children who had not been vaccinated a dose, he said.

"Improving vaccination is the key to reducing our communities measles risk, both now and in the coming years."

He said ideally 95 per cent of the community should be vaccinated to be protected against further outbreaks.

Measles is highly infectious and is spread from one person to another through the air by breathing, sneezing or coughing.

Just being in the same room as someone with measles can lead to infection if you are not immune. Measles can be serious with over one in four cases of measles this year needing to be hospitalised.

Early symptoms are fever, runny nose, sore red eyes and cough. After a few days, a red blotchy rash will appear on the face, head and body.

People who think they may be infected should phone a doctor or Healthline as soon as possible.