Sydneysiders who are travelling overseas this holiday are highly urged to be fully vaccinated against measles before departure.

Measles has caused considerable alarm after five adults contracted highly contagious measles in the Sydney metropolitan area within December. 

Dr Sheppeard highlighted the importance of the two-dose vaccination for anyone born since 1966 and more urgently, those travelling overseas.

“It’s important that people planning to travel overseas are fully vaccinated against measles before departure to reduce their risk of contracting measles and then brining the diseas back to Austrlia and putting others at risk,” Dr Sheppeard said. 

Dr Sheppeard said that the measles virus is highly contagious and can be spread through coughing and sneezing by someone with the disease. Symptoms include fever, sore eyes, coughing and rash from the head to the rest of the body. 

“If you develop the symptoms of measles, seek medical advice. Please call ahead to your doctor or emergency department so that arrangements can be made to keep you away from others to minimise the risk of infection,” Dr Sheppeard said. 

NSW Health is offering free MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine through GPs for those born since 1966 that has no record of receiving the two doses in their records. 

“A highly effective measles vaccine has been freely available for many years and it is vital for everyone, including adults and children, to have two doses of the measles vaccine during their life time,” Dr Sheppeard said. 

“Those people who have not received two doses of measles vaccine should be alert to the symptoms of measles in the coming days and weeks as the three known measles cases have moved extensively in many parts of Sydney.”