Mysuru: The District Health and Family Welfare Society, Mysuru in association with National Health Mission is all set to kick start measles-rubella vaccination campaign from February 7.

Nearly 7,95,787 children from across Mysuru district between the age of nine months and 15 years, will be vaccinated during the campaign which would go on till February 28.

During the first week of the campaign, the officials and doctors will be focusing only on schools, while the vaccination drive would continue in Anganwadis, villages, extensions and health centres in next two weeks.

Speaking to mediapersons on Saturday, District Health Officer Basavaraju said that measles was a highly infectious disease which leads to a significant number of deaths among children below five years in India. With this drive, he added, it was time to eliminate the disease completely and ensure no one suffered from it in future. He also mentioned that children who already had been administered with the vaccination earlier will again have to take it again and that it won’t have any side effects. However, after vaccination children could have symptoms such as fever and dizziness, he informed.

The left thumb of the children who are vaccinated would be inked. Vaccines are being offered by the government free of cost. Deputy Commissioner D Randeep, MMCRI Dean and Director Dr. B Krishnamurthy were present.