Trinidad and Tobago records 10 per cent dip in MMR vaccinations since 2019

The Ministry of Health is reiterating its call for parents to get their children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

TT is currently below the 95 per cent threshold which is the percentage of children that needs to get vaccinated for the country to achieve herd immunity against MMR.

During Saturday’s covid19 briefing, national immunisation programme manager Grace Sookchand explained 99 per cent of children got their first MMR vaccine dose in 2019 while 92 per cent got their second.

In 2020, that number fell to 91 per cent (first dose) and 90 per cent (second dose).

But in 2021, Sookchand said the statistics took a worrying turn with only 89 per cent of children getting their first dose and 83 per cent getting their second dose.

She lamented, “Vaccine-preventable diseases are still out there. So although we have vaccines, there is always a risk that these diseases – if we are not mindful – could once again rear its head and start spreading.

“Vaccines do not just protect the people getting vaccinated but it also protects everyone around them.”

From birth, children in TT are vaccinated against diseases including MMR, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio, influenza and yellow fever.

Sookchand said parents should not be comforted that there has been no recent outbreak of these diseases.

“We currently have (measles) outbreaks in India, Nigeria, Somalia, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Yemen, United Republic of Tanzania and Ethiopia.

“You may find to yourself that these countries are so far away from us but we must be mindful that we have people travelling in and out of Trinidad and Tobago.

“The country is also a pathway point for people to stop on their way onto another country.”

During a covid19 briefing on February 9, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh also expressed concern about the low vaccination rates for MMR.

Apart from the physical closure of schools due to covid19 – which he described as “the last check and balance” for MMR vaccination – Deyalsingh said covid19 vaccine hesitancy had also spread to other vaccines including the MMR.

Since November, Deyalsingh said the ministry has used its databases at health centres to do outreach efforts to parents in hopes of encouraging them to get their children vaccinated.