Pacific Measles Outbreak Spreads Across New Zealand Amid Low Vaccination Rates

New Zealand is experiencing a measles outbreak with 17 confirmed cases spread across several regions, prompting urgent calls from Pacific health experts for increased vaccination efforts. Low vaccination rates, especially among Pacific children, are a major concern as the measles virus is highly contagious and can linger in the air for hours, increasing infection risks. Efforts to combat the outbreak include home visits by healthcare teams to vaccinate people who might not otherwise access clinics, which has helped raise Pacific immunisation rates from 68% to 82%. Despite these efforts, some vaccine hesitancy remains, with certain families resisting vaccination. Research from the US supports strict school vaccine mandates, showing that removing nonmedical exemptions significantly increases vaccination rates without a large increase in medical exemptions, suggesting policy changes could bolster protection. Experts also emphasize the importance of pre-travel vaccination checks, as measles can spread easily through air travel, highlighting the need for ongoing vigilance and immunization to prevent further spread.