Around 117 million children worldwide risk contracting measles because dozens of countries are curtailing their vaccination programmes as they battle COVID-19, the United Nations warned on Tuesday.
In a joint statement, the Measles and Rubella Initiative(M&RI) said it was vital that immunisation capacity was retained during andafter the current pandemic.”Together, more than 117 millionchildren…Could be impacted by the suspension of scheduled immunizationactivities,” it said. “The M&RI supports the need to protectcommunities and health workers from COVID-19 through a pause of mass campaigns,where risks of the disease are high. However, this should not mean thatchildren permanently miss out.”