{"id":23773,"date":"2025-08-19T13:20:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T11:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=23773"},"modified":"2026-03-12T10:00:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:00:42","slug":"measles-rubella-vaccination-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/measles-rubella-vaccination-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 1,200 Gauteng Schools Already Part of Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) continues to intensify efforts in its mass Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccination Campaign, urging schools and early childhood development centres (cr\u00e8ches) across the province to open their doors for vaccination teams. Since the campaign\u2019s launch on 4 August 2025, more than <strong>1,266 schools and cr\u00e8ches have already been visited<\/strong> by health workers, with more expected to participate before the campaign concludes on 12 September 2025. This large-scale public health effort aims to protect over <strong>4 million children<\/strong> aged from six months to under 15 years against measles and rubella, diseases that have recently surged amid ongoing outbreaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>RELEVANT READ:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/gauteng-launches-mass-measles-rubella-vaccination\/\">Gauteng Launches Mass Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign to Protect Children<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-aims-and-urgency-of-the-vaccination-campaign\">Aims and Urgency of the Vaccination Campaign<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The campaign\u2019s goal is to reach at least <strong>95% coverage<\/strong> within the targeted age group to effectively contain the <strong>current measles outbreak<\/strong> and prevent future infectious diseases in Gauteng\u2019s communities. The initiative forms a critical part of the province\u2019s public immunisation strategy, introducing the newly added measles-rubella vaccine, which is free, safe, and effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the start of 2025, Gauteng has recorded over <strong>380 confirmed measles cases<\/strong>, with the highest number arising in <strong>Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni<\/strong> districts. These statistics highlight the urgent need for widespread vaccination to protect children and reduce disease transmission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3021390165\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-understanding-measles-and-rubella\">Understanding Measles and Rubella<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads quickly when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or breathes near others. Symptoms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High fever<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cough<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Runny nose<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rash all over the body<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Measles can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation (encephalitis), and even death, especially in young children. Rubella is generally milder in children but can cause severe birth defects if a pregnant woman contracts it. Vaccinating children now provides <strong>immediate protection<\/strong> and helps build long-term immunity, lowering the risk of future outbreaks and supporting healthier communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-progress-by-district-schools-and-creches-visited\">Progress by District: Schools and Cr\u00e8ches Visited<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vaccination teams have made strong inroads across Gauteng:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Johannesburg:<\/strong> 458 schools and cr\u00e8ches visited<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ekurhuleni:<\/strong> 440 sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tshwane:<\/strong> 160 sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>West Rand:<\/strong> 118 sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sedibeng:<\/strong> 90 sites<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This coverage reflects effective cooperation between the health department and education sectors. However, many schools and cr\u00e8ches have yet to be reached. GDoH encourages all educational institutions that have not yet hosted vaccination teams to contact their district&#8217;s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) managers to schedule visits. This inclusive approach aims to ensure <strong>no child is left behind<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">MEC <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NkomoNomantu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@NkomoNomantu<\/a> leads the Measles &amp; Rubella Mass Vaccination Campaign at Steve Biko Primary School in Orange Farm.<br>This is a response to a persistent measles outbreak affecting Gauteng since 2022 &#8211; with over 370 confirmed cases since January <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/VaccinesSaveLives?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#VaccinesSaveLives<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/MeaslesOutbreak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#MeaslesOutbreak<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tPer5aBj3o\">pic.twitter.com\/tPer5aBj3o<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GautengHealth\/status\/1952637410283864246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 5, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GautengHealth\/status\/1952637410283864246\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">X\/Twitter<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3932664030\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-the-campaign-is-conducted-in-schools\">How the Campaign Is Conducted in Schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vaccination teams visit participating schools and cr\u00e8ches equipped with trained healthcare workers. Vaccinations are administered with <strong>parental or guardian consent<\/strong>. Alongside vaccinations, teams provide health education on the importance and safety of the measles-rubella vaccine to combat any myths or misinformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schools maintain careful records of vaccinated children to track progress and ensure completion of the campaign goals. This organisational efficiency helps maximise coverage and the campaign\u2019s overall effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-importance-of-vaccination-compliance\">The Importance of Vaccination Compliance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents and guardians are a vital part of this campaign&#8217;s success. GDoH stresses the need for <strong>parents to consent to their children&#8217;s vaccinations<\/strong> and cooperate fully with health teams during school and community outreach efforts. Vaccination offers the best protection not only for individual children but also for their families and wider communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the campaign doses, children should continue receiving routine immunisations according to South Africa\u2019s health schedule to maintain strong, lasting immunity against measles, rubella, and other preventable diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"485\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1755601555.png\" alt=\"Gauteng News Image\" class=\"wp-image-23785\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1755601555.png 485w, https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1755601555-214x300.png 214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GautengHealth\/status\/1952271775460446309\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">X\/Twitter<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-2964541937\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-impact-on-public-health-and-education\">Impact on Public Health and Education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The vaccination campaign reduces illness-related school absenteeism by shielding children from vaccine-preventable diseases. This contributes not only to healthier students but also to improved learning outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On a larger scale, the campaign builds herd immunity, protecting vulnerable individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons, such as those with immune system disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-families-can-participate\">How Families Can Participate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Families can help ensure campaign success by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Checking if their child\u2019s school or cr\u00e8che is part of the campaign<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Providing consent promptly when schools request it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attending school meetings to understand the vaccination benefits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintaining their children&#8217;s vaccination records and following up on routine immunisations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Community involvement and awareness are key in making this campaign a success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">MEC for Health &amp; Wellness <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NkomoNomantu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@NkomoNomantu<\/a> tells <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Newzroom405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@Newzroom405<\/a> that the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CornertoCorner?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#CornertoCorner<\/a> Campaign has helped educate parents on the importance of measles and rubella vaccines, resulting in more parents giving consent for their children to be vaccinated.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/VaccinesSaveLives?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#VaccinesSaveLives<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4TzSOk6BVI\">pic.twitter.com\/4TzSOk6BVI<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GautengHealth\/status\/1952618518811476434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 5, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GautengHealth\/status\/1952618518811476434\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">X\/Twitter<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-2385834292\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-community-involvement\">Community Involvement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Interested volunteers and schools wishing to host vaccination teams can contact programme managers within their health districts as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"383\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1755599882.png\" alt=\"Gauteng News Image\" class=\"wp-image-23779\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1755599882.png 383w, https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1755599882-211x300.png 211w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 383px) 100vw, 383px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Discover how the revamped Masakhane hub is strengthening healthcare support by improving meal production and laundry efficiency across Gauteng hospitals. <\/em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/gautengs-masakhane-facility-upgraded\/\">Gauteng\u2019s Masakhane Facility Upgraded to Boost Hospital Meals and Laundry Services<\/a><\/strong><em>. Click here to find out more.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ongoing-commitment-and-next-steps\">Ongoing Commitment and Next Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/publuu.com\/flip-book\/944978\/2083507\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gauteng\u2019s health department<\/a> remains committed to containing measles and rubella outbreaks. The mass Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign will continue through September 2025, with efforts to reach children who missed school sessions conducted at clinics and through community outreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department also calls on the public, including retired health professionals, nursing students, and community volunteers, to participate in mobilisation and support vaccination logistics where possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">MEDIA STATEMENT || MASS MEASLES RUBELLA VACCINATION CAMPAIGN TARGETS OVER 4 MILLION CHILDREN IN GAUTENG <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/YCj8zNBlkn\">pic.twitter.com\/YCj8zNBlkn<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GautengHealth\/status\/1952771622491783242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 5, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GautengHealth\/status\/1952771622491783242\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">X\/Twitter<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 1,200 Gauteng schools and cr\u00e8ches are actively participating in the mass measles-rubella vaccination campaign to protect over 4 million children from an ongoing outbreak. Learn more about the campaign\u2019s progress and how families can support it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":23782,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"Over 1,200 Gauteng schools and cr\u00e8ches are actively participating in the mass measles-rubella vaccination campaign to protect over 4 million children from an ongoing outbreak. Learn more about the campaign\u2019s progress and how families can support it.","footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[608,4038,4032,4212,3857,4034,4039],"class_list":{"0":"post-23773","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-gauteng-department-of-health","9":"tag-immunisation-campaigns","10":"tag-measles","11":"tag-mec-nomantu-nkomo-ralehoko","12":"tag-public-health","13":"tag-rubella","14":"tag-vaccination-drive"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23773"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23791,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23773\/revisions\/23791"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}