Tangerang City Administration urges parents to vaccinate children against measles

Tangerang — The Tangerang City Health Department in Banten has urged parents whose children have not yet received measles and rubella immunisation to visit primary health centres promptly to prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease.

Dr Dini Anggraeni, head of the Tangerang City Health Department, stated on Thursday that accelerating immunisation has become a priority, particularly for children aged 9 months to 15 years to protect them from the risk of communicable diseases.

Additionally, the health department has ensured that measles and rubella vaccines are available in safe condition and ready for use across all health facilities.

“We have confirmed that all 39 primary health centres have MR vaccine in stock and they are fully accessible to the public free of charge. We are ensuring even distribution of MR vaccine across primary health centres, health posts, and hospitals so there are no supply bottlenecks during the immunisation programme,” she stated.

Currently, health teams are actively conducting outreach activities, including visits to schools and early childhood education facilities, to ensure all children receive vaccines according to schedule.

“High immunisation coverage will establish herd immunity so that the risk of measles and rubella transmission in Tangerang City can be reduced,” she said.

Based on study results and clinical trials, the MR vaccine has proven effective, showing a significant increase in antibodies following vaccination, with seropositive levels exceeding 90 percent in vaccinated children.

Regarding public concerns about side effects, Dr Dini explained that reactions following immunisation are generally mild and temporary.

“Side effects of the MR vaccine are generally mild, such as mild fever, redness or pain at the injection site, and mild rash. These reactions typically resolve within approximately 24 hours,” she said.