Measles Update

Measles is a serious and highly contagious illness which can affect children and adults. It is important to get yourselves and your whanau vaccinated against Measles to stay safe and to keep the community safe.

FAQs

Click here to get the latest answers to the most frequently asked questions from The Immunisation Advisory Centre.

Do you think you have measles?

If you’re feeling sick, stay away from work, school or public places, to help prevent putting other people at risk. If you or a family member suspect you have measles you should stay at home and your doctor to alert them of your symptoms. If you have measles it is important to avoid spreading it to others in the waiting room.  If you think you have measles or have been in contact with a confirmed case of measles:

  • call us first before coming in to our practice
  • when you arrive please stay in your car, phone us, then wait in your car until a nurse or doctor asks you to come in
  • if you are coughing we will ask you to wear a mask

Symptoms of measles

Signs and symptoms of measles typically include:

  • Fever
  • Dry cough or coughing up green or thick mucous
  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat, ears, or back
  • Trouble breathing
  • Stiff neck
  • Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)
  • Having a fit (seizure)
  • Not passing urine for 10 hours
  • Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek — also called Koplik's spots.

Who should get vaccinated against measles (MMR)

  • Children under the age of 12 months (bought forward from 15 months) who have not received their first routine dose of MMR vaccine (the second dose is at 4 years). They are susceptible and rely on everyone else to be immune so that measles does not spread to them
  • Children aged 6-12 months only if in contact with a known case or travelling overseas to countries with an active measles outbreak
  • Adults born after 1 January 1969 who have not had two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
  • Youths and adults who have not been vaccinated - no doses

Some people are not able to have the vaccine e.g those on immunosupressant medication.  Measles vaccine (MMR) immunisations are funded for NZ residents and those eligible for funded medical treatments. Unfortunately it is not free for those who do not qualify.

Latest measles information

Go online for the latest public measles information and information from The Immunisation Advisory Centre

Auckland Regional Public Health Service Information

Centre of Disease Control (CDC) Information