1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: Update on the measles is that there are in now 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: thirteen cases in New Zealand, after two more identified today. Now, 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: given how infectious measles is and how dangerous it is 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: for babies, parents particularly ones in Wellington, are freaking out 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: and trying to get the little ones jab but the 6 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: rules are not being changed. You cannot get a baby 7 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: jabbed under twelve months at the moment. Even if you do, 8 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: it might cost you a much as two hundred and 9 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: sixty dollars. Doctor Coreina Gray is the director of Public 10 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: Health High Karina. 11 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 2: Hi. 12 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: Heather, listen, if there are all of these parents who 13 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: want to get their young babies jab before they're twelve 14 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: months old, why don't we just do it. 15 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 2: That's a very good question, and we are reviewing the 16 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: evidence around that. What I can say is that two 17 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 2: INMIMA doses given after the age of twelve months is 18 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: highly effective at protecting people from measles and giving them 19 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 2: lifelong immunity. For babies, babies do have some immunity from 20 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 2: what we call maternal antibodies up until about four months 21 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 2: of age. Now, between four months and twelve months, we 22 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 2: can give MMR what we call MMR zero, but that 23 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: doesn't confer long term immunity, and so if babies do 24 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: get the jab, they still have to have their two 25 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 2: So that's cool. 26 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: After twelve were parents who are really worried at the moment, 27 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: why not just do this for the kids and then 28 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: and then carry on with twelve and whatever else. 29 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, So at the moment, we do have thirteen cases, 30 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: but we aren't at our point where we have sufficient 31 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 2: transmission that the risk is high enough that we would 32 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 2: vaccinate or what's at that point that would be when 33 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 2: the something that would be communicated by public health service? 34 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: Now, what is the point in Karna? If thirteen cases 35 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: is not the point, what's the point at which we 36 00:01:57,520 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: decided to jab the kids under twelve months? 37 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: Well, that will be a decision that will be made 38 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: by public health. 39 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: So you don't have you don't know when that point is. 40 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: You guys are sort of making it up as you go. 41 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely, we're not making it up as we go. So 42 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 2: what's reviewing We're carefully reviewing the evidence. 43 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, but one point, what is the point at which 44 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: you go this outbreak is big enough? What's that point? 45 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: Well, what we're focusing on at the moment is making 46 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 2: sure we have good contact traces. 47 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: No, no, Karina, question please for parents who are worried, what 48 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: is the point? 49 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,079 Speaker 2: The point is that people need to get no no, 50 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 2: no very amaz Listen. 51 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: I'm asking you as a mum of a nine and 52 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: a half month old and I'm worried about her, okay, 53 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: and I want to get her jab So at what 54 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: point are you going to let me jab her under 55 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: the age of one? How big is this outbreak? 56 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: Got to get That would be a decision that would 57 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 2: be made by public health. 58 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: So as I say, you guys, haven't got a point 59 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: literally just making it up as you go. 60 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely not. And if you'll just let me finish, I'd 61 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 2: like to give some information to the public about how 62 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 2: they can best protect themselves. 63 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: No, Karina, We're going to get to themselves. I need 64 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: you to answer this question because there are people who 65 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: are trying very hard right now and who are prepared 66 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: to pay as much as two hundred and sixty dollars 67 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: and they're being blocked from doing it. 68 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 2: Now. 69 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: Do we jab babies traveling overseas? 70 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 2: That also depends on the risk. 71 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: Yes, we have them. We gab them as early as 72 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: six months, so if we do it for babies overseas, 73 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: Why are we not doing it for babies who are 74 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: in New Zealand, particularly in Wellington where there is an outbreak. 75 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 2: So that that's a very good point, Heather. So overseas, 76 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 2: for example, for example the UK, where there has been 77 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 2: a very large outbreak, they do not routinely give MMR 78 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: zero to under twelve months old. It is once again 79 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: a decision that's made by local public health services where 80 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 2: there is a very high risk of transmission in local communities, 81 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: at which point the local public health service will advise 82 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 2: people whether they should be getting their children immunized zero. 83 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: Can that you have is the concern the cost of 84 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: the JAB, are their potential side effects? Does it do 85 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: something to the long term ability to be protected? Why 86 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: not do it? 87 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 2: So it's a balance of risks and benefits. SOMMA zero 88 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 2: doesn't confer long term immunity, so what we really need 89 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: to do is immunize everybody who's highly mobile and capable 90 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: of spreading measles through the community. So they were really 91 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 2: focused on children and adults and closing that immunity gap. 92 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: So we really want to encourage everybody who was able 93 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: to to get MMR and you know, I'm sure you're 94 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 2: immunized against the MMR and you're making sure that your siblings, parents, 95 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:13,239 Speaker 2: your aunties and uncles, and problem around. 96 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: If I understood the herd immunity theory, my problem is 97 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: because of COVID, we now have anti vaxxers in the 98 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: family who have kids who are unvaccinated, and we're coming 99 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: up to Christmas and our kids are going to have 100 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: to contact those kids. Do we not have a problem 101 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: there where we have such sufficient gaps now in our 102 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: herd immunity that we should be thinking about jabbing these 103 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: little ones. 104 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: So again I would say, let's approach this with empathy 105 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 2: and encourage everyone who is able to to get vaccinated. 106 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: We are not at the point where we would routinely 107 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 2: immunize children under the age of twelve months, but again, 108 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: we'll continue to track the outbreak and review the evidence, 109 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 2: but again encouraging everybody who is eligible for their EMIMA 110 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 2: JEB to get vaccinated and protect their loved ones. 111 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 1: Okay, what's the public health message you wanted to get out? 112 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 2: Just get vaccinated? 113 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, we're trying, aren't we? 114 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 2: We absolutely are, And I really thank you for giving 115 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 2: that message out there. You know people who are unsure 116 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: of their immunization status should ask their GP. They can 117 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:31,799 Speaker 2: also contact the Vaccination Help Lane and also look on 118 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 2: my health record. So appreciate you getting the message out 119 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: there and we'll all work together to do so. 120 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 1: You're welcome, Kaarina. Thank you very much for your time. 121 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: Appreciated Doctor Corena Gray, who is the Ministry of Health 122 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: Director of Public Health. For more from Hither Duplessy Alan Drive, 123 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, 124 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.