18/04/2025
-- Measles Out break Alert --
Dear Monbulk friends and family,
We have seen a recent increase in confirmed cases across Australia. A few cases were reported in Cockatoo and Emarald.
With most measles commonly in unvaccinated and undervaccinated adults aged 20 to 49 years. It is important to remember that measles is a vaccine-preventable disease.
With declining vaccination rates, which currently sit below the target of 95% required for herd immunity. Victorian Chief Medical Officer has asked us to remind all local families that vaccination
is the best protection against measles.
Measles is a very serious and highly transmissible disease. In an unvaccinated or under-vaccinated population, a single contagious person can potentially infect up to 18 other people. Measles can cause complications in up to one in three unvaccinated
people.
Significant complications include brain swelling, pneumonia, pregnancy loss, and lasting disability such as deafness, seizures, and serious movement problems. A small number of people die from progressive brain inflammation many years after
their initial infection. People are also more likely to catch other illnesses such as influenza, chickenpox or whooping cough after recovery from measles, even if they only had mild illness. Loss
of immune memory can cause people to become more ill, more often, from diseases they were previously immune to. This means people could require repeat immunisation. Adults can also spread measles to babies and young children, who are more likely to
suffer serious complications from measles.
In Australia, two doses of measles vaccine offers 99% protection
against illness and serious complications.
Please review your vaccination status on your myGOV. If you are unvaccinated or are undervaccinated (one dose only) adults aged 20 to 49 years. We strongly recommend you to act now.
The measles vaccine is available for free for eligible children under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Eligible people under 20 years of age and humanitarian entrants or refugees of any age can also get free NIP catch-up vaccinations from your vaccination nurse.
The measles vaccine can also be purchased privately if you are not eligible under NIP. Monbulk Pharmacy pharmacists are accredited to vaccinate measles vaccines and can offer vaccination bookings instore.
For more information, click the link below:
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/measles
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/health-alerts/new-measles-case-in-victoria-4
For vaccination booking in Monbulk Pharmacy
https://www.medadvisor.com.au/Network/MonbulkPharmacy
The number of measles cases who acquired their infection in the greater Melbourne area is increasing. In addition, there is an ongoing risk of measles importation in Victoria in travellers returning from overseas or interstate.
