According to UNICEF, approximately 70,000 children in Bangladesh have not received any vaccinations.
While the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) schedules measles vaccinations for children at nine and 15 months of age, medical experts warn that infants can contract the virus even before reaching nine months, particularly if they reside in high-risk environments.
The risk of infection remains highest among children who are unvaccinated, specifically those under 15 months who have not completed their one or two-dose schedule.
Children suffering from malnutrition or those with compromised immune systems face significantly higher risks of infection. While breastfeeding transfers maternal antibodies to a child, this protection is not equally effective for everyone.
Children who are not exclusively breastfed or those suffering from nutritional deficiencies tend to have weaker immunity, making them more susceptible to the virus.
Early detection and symptoms
A primary challenge in controlling measles is that the characteristic rash typically appears three to five days after the onset of the disease. By the time a rash becomes visible, the patient has often already infected those they have come into contact with.
According to medical professionals, the most crucial factor in measles control is taking rapid action rather than waiting for a rash to appear.
Parents should monitor for symptoms such as fever, cough, and a runny nose, alongside a sore throat, dry cough, or conjunctivitis – which is characterised by red and watery eyes.
Although these symptoms are often mistaken for a common cold, school-aged children exhibiting such signs must be isolated at home immediately to prevent further spread.
Transmission and preventive measures
Measles is a viral disease that spreads with extreme rapidity through respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. The virus is highly contagious, as a single infected individual can transmit it to between 12 and 18 other people.
In the current context, experts recommend seeking medical advice even for symptoms resembling a common cold and ensuring symptomatic children do not come into contact with others.
Families and educational institutions should also prioritise teaching children essential hygiene practices. These include turning their heads while coughing, using handkerchiefs during sneezes, and frequent hand washing to curb the transmission of the virus.
