Measles epidemic in Italy, Bassetti: “The worst will come in the summer”
There is an ongoing measles epidemic in Italy which could worsen in the summer: Matteo Bassetti, an infectious disease specialist at the San Martino hospital in Genoa, is convinced of this.
There were 213 infections recorded in the first three months of 2024 compared to the fifteen total cases recorded in the whole of 2023. “An epidemic has started, the situation is not yet serious, but it is worrying” declared Bassetti in an interview with The print.
What worries experts is the decrease in vaccination coverage: “We had reached around 95% of children vaccinated, but now we have dropped by several percentage points” adds Bassetti.
The expert, therefore, once again underlines the importance of vaccination as the only cure against measles: “When we talk about public health, we cannot discuss the wishes of the individual who perhaps does not want to be vaccinated”.
Bassetti recommends taking a blood test to check immunity and then, if necessary, proceeding with vaccination which guarantees permanent immunity after two doses.
The expert also points out that measles can have serious consequences in adults, especially in fragile or immunosuppressed individuals.
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