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Measles cases must be kept out of school for ten days after the
appearance of the rash and may then return if the child is sufficiently
well to do so. Contacts are not excluded except the under fives, who
should then be excluded for fourteen days from the date of appearance of
the rash in the last case in the home. However, all contacts should be
carefully scrutinised daily before being allowed to go to school, and should
be excluded if suffering from a cough, cold, chill or red eyes. No child who
is known for certain to have had the disease need be excluded.
The illness can be prevented or modified by the injection of gamma
globulin early in the incubation period. A small quantity is available to
doctors for cases of special risk. Health Visitors are informed of notified
cases of children under five years of age so that they may give advice
where necessary.
Whooping Cough. Thirty six cases were notified in 1963, compared
with seventeen cases in 1962. There was no death.
Whooping Cough is a serious infection in early infancy. The danger
of mortality is highest in the first three months of life and diminishes
with age. Every effort should be made to protect babies and weakly infants
from contact with infection. The vaccines give substantial protection.
Immunisation should commence not later than three months of age.
Cases are excluded from school for twenty eight days from the
beginning of the characteristic cough. Child contacts under seven years
of age should be excluded for twenty one days from the date of onset of
a case in their home if they have not had the disease.
Health Visitors are informed of notified cases of children under five
years of age so that they may give advice where necessary.
Immunisation against Whooping Cough. Immunisation against
Whooping Cough is available free of charge for children under five years
of age, either through the family doctor or at Child Welfare Clinics. Three
injections are given at monthly intervals. The injections are preferably
combined with immunisation against Diphtheria and Tetanus, and should
be commenced as early as the second or third month. In 1963, nine hundred
and ninety three children received a primary course of immunisation.
In addition, five hundred and sixty eight children were given reinforcing
injections during the year.
Smallpox. No case was notified.
Vaccination against Smallpox. That the spech of travel has increased
the risk of importing Smallpox has unfortunately ??? proved several times
in recent years, the last occasion being early 1962. There is as yet no
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