Compared to last week, three more cases were registered - two in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region and one in the North Region.

Out of a total of 169 suspected cases reported between January 1 and April 21 of this year, 140 were ruled out.

During these days, the Director-General for Health issued a warning, stating that there are "high national coverage rates".

At a ceremony in Arronches, in the district of Portalegre, the Director-General for Health issued a warning last week about taking action against the disease. "We need to act so that people continue to get vaccinated and get vaccinated in a timely manner. If it is to be vaccinated at one year of age, we should not vaccinate at one year and three months", she explained.

This Friday, the National Health Service (SNS) reinforced this appeal, warning that vaccination is "the main preventive measure against measles". "It is free and available to everyone. Unvaccinated people who have never had measles are very likely to contract the disease if they are exposed to the virus," the officials wrote in a post shared on the X social network (formerly Twitter).

A #vacinação é a principal medida de prevenção do #sarampo. É gratuita e está disponível para tod@s. As pessoas não vacinadas, e que nunca tiveram sarampo, têm uma elevada probabilidade de contrair a doença se forem expostas ao vírus: https://t.co/AJlKIIBQTb. #Saúde
© @DGSaude pic.twitter.com/UI1M5paGvK

— SNS_Portugal (@SNS_Portugal) April 26, 2024

But what do you need to know about measles?

Vaccination schedule for children

Under 18 years of age

Two doses are recommended - one at 12 months and another at five years.

Adults

According to a 2015/2016 National Serological Survey, about 99% of the population born before 1970 is protected against measles.

Even so, the SNS points out that vaccination is not necessary for people who were born before 1970, except if there is exposure to cases of measles or if they are traveling to countries where there are cases". In these cases, a dose of VASPR (measles, mumps and rubella vaccine) should be administered.

And for those born after 1970?

"People born after 1970, aged 18 years or older, with no credible history of measles, should have at least one dose of measles vaccine, given at 12 months of age or later," reads the SNS.

"All people under 18 years of age should have two doses of measles vaccine," warns the SNS.

And healthcare professionals?

As for those who work in the field, the SNS recommends that regardless of the year of birth, "all healthcare professionals with no credible history of measles should have two doses of vaccine".

Underage and only one dose of the vaccine?

"About 5 to 10% of vaccinated people do not respond adequately to the 1st dose, which is why a 2nd dose of the vaccine is recommended up to 18 years of age," writes the SNS, clarifying that the 2nd dose is not a booster, but rather an "opportunity to develop immunity/protection against the disease and thus reduce the number of susceptible people (people not vaccinated or incorrectly vaccinated or with no credible history of measles)".

After the vaccine, when do you start to get protected?

You start to be protected about two weeks after the vaccine is administered.

How do you know if you are vaccinated?

In addition to being able to consult your vaccination record online, if you are registered in the personal area of the SNS 24 portal or in the SNS 24 App, you can also go to your health center.

"If it is not possible to consult your vaccination record, you will be given the vaccines according to your age, with no contraindication or increased adverse effects if you are given new doses, even if you have already been vaccinated or have had the disease", explains the SNS.

On the same page dedicated to this disease, the SNS also points out that "there is no reason to fear a major measles epidemic", given that most people are protected - and explains why: "Most people born before 1970 are protected because they have had the disease" and, on the other hand, "most people born after 1970 are protected because they have been vaccinated".

"However, during an outbreak, some vaccinated people may contract the disease due to a decrease in the protection conferred by the vaccine over time. Measles in people who have already been vaccinated is milder, the likelihood of clinical complications is much lower, and the patient is less contagious to others," they conclude.

For more information related to the disease and vaccination, you can consult the SNS page here.

Read Also: Measles cases rise to 23 in Portugal (Portuguese version)

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