Including school students.. Health is heading to launch a measles vaccination campaign and sets its date

Baghdad – IA
The Ministry of Health confirmed, on Monday, the intention to launch a campaign to vaccinate school and kindergarten students against measles, while setting its date.

Director General of the Public Health Department, Riyad Abdel Amir, told the (INA), “There is a wave of increase in the number of measles cases in Iraq and countries around the world,” noting that “the epidemic wave of the disease recurs every 4 to 5 years.”
He added, “The Ministry intends to launch a vaccination campaign targeting school students, and the goal is to prevent the transmission of the disease from person to person through droplets, especially since the number of cases recorded in schools caused students to be close to each other.”
He pointed out, “The campaign will be launched after Eid al-Fitr, and will target approximately 23,000 schools and kindergartens throughout Iraq,” indicating that “the ages included in the vaccination in kindergartens are from 4 to 5 years, while primary schools are from 6 years to 12 years,” pointing out. He added that “the campaign will target more than 8 million students.”
He pointed out that “the Ministry has formed more than 9,000 vaccination teams, with a number of more than 27,000 health personnel, and it will continue for two weeks,” explaining that “the Ministry has coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Education to carry out an awareness campaign to start the campaign, and the schools will obtain written approval.” From parents to vaccinate students.
He stated that “the Council of Ministers allocated more than 9 billion dinars to cover logistical expenses, including transportation and some rewards for workers in the campaign,” adding that “the campaign will limit the reappearance of the disease.”
He continued, “Children who have been previously vaccinated will have greater immunity, given that a single dose provides protection of less than 80 percent. As for the second dose, protection reaches 97 percent of the vaccine’s efficacy. Therefore, the more vaccines there are, the better the immunity.”