Experts mull 1st measles vax at 6 mths instead of 9

An eight-month-old boy in the city turning critical due to measles on Monday has intensified a debate if authorities should consider administering the first measles-rubella vaccine dose at 6 months instead of the current mandate of 9 months.

- Sumitra.Debroy timesgroup.com

The state death toll due to measles climbed to 10 on Monday, even as civic data shows that 9% of the 3,208 suspected infections were in the under 6-months age-group. 

Mumbai: An eight-month-old boy turning critical due to measles on Monday has triggered adebate on whether authorities should consider administering the first measles-rubella vaccine dose at six months instead of the current mandate of nine months. The toll due to measles in the state climbed to 10 on Monday, including 9 confirmed and one suspected fatality of a 15-month-old girl from Govandi.