Families of 44 Wanganui children whose vaccinations are well overdue are being urged to get their children protected, after measles outbreaks in Auckland and Waikato.
Wanganui medical officer of health Patrick O'Connor said only one case of measles had been confirmed in the region in the past five years.
"Like the rest of New Zealand we're waiting to see what happens. The issue for us is immunisation rates amongst primary school children," he said.
Latest Ministry of Health figures show 82 per cent of children in Wanganui who recently turned 5 are fully immunised. That is 6 per cent higher than the national average. More than half of the 5-year-olds in the area not fully immunised are Maori.
In the three months to July, only 78 per cent of the region's Maori 5-year-olds were on track with vaccinations, compared with 88 per cent of New Zealand Europeans.
Wanganui region immunisation co-ordinator Sue Hina said that was due to difficulties tracking children who moved around within Maori families, and the complication of getting parental consent for children in care.
Between 3 and 5 per cent of people declined the vaccine for their children.
"Within that group some people are very strongly opposed, but others might reconsider if they are made aware that the pattern of the disease is changing," Ms Hina said.
People who have declined the vaccine will receive a letter and a phone call from Ms Hina every three months, giving them an opportunity to reconsider.
"We're not disregarding their choice, we just want to let them know that things change," she said.
Confusion about dates and types of vaccines may also be contributing to the shortfall.
"People need to remember that although their child may have had other vaccinations, they only get the measles vaccine at 15 months," Ms Hina said. Parents are encouraged to check with their GP if unsure whether their children are protected against measles.
Advice from the Ministry of Health warns that measles is a serious illness, with one out of every 10 people who catch it needing to be hospitalised.
The Wanganui District Health Board is encouraging parents to get vaccinations on time and to get up-to-date.
Vaccination clinics
Wanganui Accident and Medical Centre 5pm-7.30pm, first Monday of every month.
Gonville Health Centre 9am-1pm every Wednesday.
Symptoms to watch out for: at first, a fever, runny nose, and sore red eyes.
After a few days, a red blotchy rash which lasts for up to one week. The rash usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
If you detect any of those symptoms, please phone your GP or call Healthline (toll-free) on 0800 611-116.
Whanganui Chronicle
