– NATALYA MAISHEVA/ ISTOCK – Archivo
MADRID, 3 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spain is experiencing a sustained increase in measles cases, prompting urgent calls from the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC) to bolster vaccination coverage, particularly with the second dose of the MMR vaccine. This renewed focus on vaccination is a key strategy to contain the resurgence of a highly contagious disease.
“Measles is once again a central concern in public health,” said Ana Pilar Javierre, a family and community physician and coordinator of the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Group within semFYC’s Preventive Activities and Health Promotion Program (PAPPS), in a recently released podcast episode.
Currently, Spain reports one of the highest numbers of measles cases in Europe, trailing only Romania and France. “This is not a position we desire to hold,” Javierre emphasized, noting significant increases in incidence rates across several autonomous communities and a high risk of outbreaks, as a single case can infect between 18 and 30 people. This situation highlights the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates to prevent widespread transmission.
Javierre underscored that vaccination remains the most effective preventative measure against measles. “Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide over 97% protection, and this protection is long-lasting,” she explained. While first-dose coverage in Spain reaches 97%, second-dose coverage ranges between 91% and 93%, leaving a vulnerable segment of the population susceptible to infection.
In line with World Health Organization (WHO) criteria – which recommend achieving coverage rates above 95% with two doses – semFYC is urging systematic review of vaccination status, especially for individuals born after 1978.
Individuals arriving from other countries who lack documented proof of vaccination should be considered unvaccinated and receive the two-dose series free of charge at health centers. As a live attenuated virus vaccine, it is contraindicated for people with compromised immune systems and pregnant women.
