The interruption of vaccination programmes due to the Coronavirus pandemic could lead to increased measles prevalence, said Joanna Ree of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
It is noted that 24 countries have already postponed vaccination dates for measles because doctors are busy treating COVID-19 patients. According to the organization, this situation threatens that 117 million children in 37 countries will not be vaccinated on time.
“Interrupting vaccination programs will increase the risk that children will start getting dangerous diseases. This is compounded by the increased strain on health systems and the risk of repeated outbreaks of infectious diseases”, – Ree stressed.
UNICEF has called on country leaders to strengthen measures to monitor children who will not be vaccinated.
The coronavirus epidemic that became a COVID-19 agent has spread to 185 countries. According to WHO, more than 1.85 million people are registered in the world, over 117 thousand of them died.