麻疹ワクチン未接種の子ども、２１年は過去最多４０００万人

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）と米疾病対策センター（ＣＤＣ）は２３日、世界の麻疹（はしか）ワクチン未接種の子どもは、２０２１年は過去最多の約４０００万人だったとする報告書を発表した。新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大を受け、予防接種事業が一時中断したためと説明している。（写真は資料写真）
　ＷＨＯのテドロス・アダノム・ゲブレイェスス事務局長は、新型コロナワクチンが記録的な速さで開発・配布された一方、皮肉にも定期予防接種が著しい影響を受け、数千万人が危険にさらされていると指摘した。
　麻疹は予防接種でほぼ確実に予防できるが、感染力が非常に強い。このため国内に土着する麻疹ウイルスによる感染が３年間確認されない「排除状態」を達成するには、人口の約９５％が２回以上の予防接種を受け、集団免疫を獲得しなければならない。
　しかし報告書によると、２１年の世界の麻疹ワクチン接種率は、初回が０８年以降で最低の８１％、２回目が７１％だった。
　ＷＨＯとＣＤＣは予防接種率の低下について、麻疹根絶の取り組みにとって大きな後退だと警鐘を鳴らしている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/11/25-13:04）

A record high of nearly 40 million children around the world missed a measles vaccine dose in 2021, according to a new report Wednesday that found immunization levels had failed to rebound from disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The research, which was jointly published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the decline was a major setback in eliminating the deadly disease.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted the irony in the fact that while vaccines against Covid were developed and deployed in record time, routine immunization programs were badly impacted, leaving millions at risk.
Getting immunization programs back on track is absolutely critical. Behind every statistic in this report is a child at risk of a preventable disease, he said in a statement.
According to the report, 25 million children missed their first dose while 14.7 million missed their second.
Measles is almost entirely preventable through vaccination.
But because it is so contagious, an estimated 95 percent of a population needs to be vaccinated with two or more doses in order to create herd immunity to achieve and maintain elimination.
In 2021, only 81 percent of children globally received their first dose and 71 percent received their second.
It was the lowest global coverage rate of the first dose since 2008.
The five countries with the highest number of infants who did not receive their first dose were Nigeria, India, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
No WHO region has achieved and sustained measles elimination, and the virus can quickly spread across borders.
Since 2016, ten countries that had previously eliminated measles experienced outbreaks and reestablished transmission.
Measles is characterized by high fever and a telltale rash -- though part of what makes it so dangerous is that it can be contagious for days before the rash emerges.
Complications can include pneumonia and swelling of the brain, which can cause permanent disability.
Between 1 and 3 in every thousand children die from respiratory and neurologic complications.