As Egypt prepares for its seasonal measles and rubella drive, health officials emphasise the critical role of routine immunisations in maintaining high protection levels, with Egypt having eliminated certain diseases through sustained vaccination efforts.
As October approaches and Egypt prepares for its seasonal measles drive, parents are being urged to keep children on schedule with routine immunisations, with vaccine specialist Mustafa Mohamadi saying timely vaccination remains one of the strongest defences against infectious disease and its complications. UNICEF Egypt says the country’s expanded immunisation programme offers free vaccines to children and has helped maintain coverage above 95%, while the Ministry of Health continues to stress that sticking to the recommended timetable is essential for protection.
Mohamadi said a national campaign is due to begin in October for children aged nine months to 10 years, targeting measles and rubella. That drive comes against a wider public-health backdrop in which Egypt has long sought to prevent outbreaks through high uptake of childhood vaccines. UNICEF says Egypt has been polio-free since 2006 and eliminated measles in 2023, underlining how sustained coverage can suppress diseases that once posed a major threat to children.
Alongside the campaign, school-age children are also due to receive a series of routine doses. Mohamadi said the school schedule includes the Td vaccine, which protects against tetanus and diphtheria, for pupils in second and fourth primary classes, as well as meningitis vaccination for first-year students at each stage of education. He also said families who want extra protection can seek the seasonal flu vaccine as colder weather brings the annual rise in influenza cases.
He added that multiple vaccines can generally be given on the same day, or spaced before or after one another, depending on the rules for each product and the child’s health. But he urged parents to check with a doctor or other health worker if a child has chronic illness or another special medical need. On chickenpox vaccination, he said there are no problems with most other shots, but there are specific rules when it is given alongside the measles-rubella vaccine or the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab, and if they are not administered on the same day, the gap should be 28 days.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
