Rubella protection urged

Press, 17 September 1980, Page 34

Rubella protection urged

An increase in rubella cases in New Zealand has prompted the Health Department to emphasise' the importance of immuhisa-’ tion. . , The director of the Division of Health Promotion (Dr R. Campbell Begg) said laboratory tests had shown that the disease had increased, particularly in Hawke’s Bay. But; it seemed that the increase was spread throughout . the community. He said it was unlikely that an epidemic would occur because most children aged between six and 19 had been immunised. But between 5 and 15 per cent of women in the child-bearing age could still catch rubella. Women who were thinking of becoming pregnant should be tested to check their immunity to rubella. Pregnant women who had been in contact with a case should see their doctors, he said. Although a policy of offering immunisation to 11-year-old girls would reduce the problem in the long term, it was important for women planning a pregnancy to be protected now. This was especially so because an increase in rubella was expected after an outbreak of the disease in Britain.