Children aged 6 months to 10 years to get measles vaccine: DGHS

The government is set to launch an additional special vaccination campaign outside the routine immunisation programme as measles infections rise across the country.

The month-long campaign, scheduled to begin in the first week of June, aims to vaccinate approximately 2 crore children.

Children aged six months to ten years will be covered under this special campaign. Previously, children received the measles vaccine after completing nine months of age.

However, considering the current infection situation, the Directorate General of Health Services has said that children as young as six months will also be able to receive the measles vaccine during the campaign.

The decision was made at a meeting of the National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) on Monday, March 30, said Professor Dr Halimur Rashid, Director (Disease Control) of the Directorate General of Health Services.

He told the media that vaccination before the designated age in campaigns is practiced in various countries, with guidelines from the World Health Organization. Following that, NITAG has recommended administering measles vaccines during the campaign for children aged six to ten months.

However, routine immunisation will not provide the vaccine before nine months. Regarding keeping the age limit unchanged for the routine programme, he said the WHO has no recommendation on this and it remains under research.