❗PROTECT YOUR CHILD AGAINST ROTAVIRUS DIARRHOEAL DISEASE❗❗
Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children Under 5 years Vaccinate your child with Rotavirus vaccine.
WHAT IS ROTAVIRUS❔
✅Many germs can infect the stomach/gastrointestinal tract causing diarrhoea.
✅The Rotavirus is the most common germ that can cause such diarrhoeal illness.
✅The virus is very contagious and spreads easily among children and babies.
HOW ROTAVIRUS SPREADS:
✅The Rotavirus spreads by fecal-oral route or when the
virus from feces (poop) of an infected person/child is passed to the other person/child.
✅This can be through direct contact from hand to mouth from; ☑contaminated clothing
☑bedding
☑food,
☑drinks
☑ eating utensils
☑toys
and general contact surfaces.
HOW IS ROTAVIRUS PREVENTED❔
✅The Rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix) preventing rotavirus disease up
to 5 years of age.
✅This vaccine has been in use for many years around the world
and it is a safe and well tolerated vaccine.
✅Vaccination should be integrated with other key prevention
health measures such as washing hands thoroughly with soap
before preparing and eating food, after using the toilet, drinking
boiled, filtered or chlorinated water, disinfection of general.
WHO ARE AT RISK OF ROTAVIRUS DIARRHEAL DISEASE❔
✅Infants 3 months of age and older.
✅Children who have a weak immune system.
✅Unvaccinated children
WHY VACCINATE YOUR CHILD AGAINST ROTAVIRUS DISEASE❔ ✅Diarrhoea and dehydration is the second leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age.
✅Vaccinating your child will prevent him/her from getting the illness or becoming severely ill.
✅Vaccinating your child will also prevent the virus from being spread to other children.
Vaccines
- Two live-attenuated oral rotavirus vaccines were developed and extensively evaluated, and have now been recommended by the World Health Organization(WHO).
- The two rotavirus vaccines that are currently licensed for use in infants:
- RotaTeq (RV5) is given in 3 doses at ages 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months
- Rotarix(RV1) is available in Samoa and is given in 2 doses.
SYMPTOMS OF ROTAVIRUS INFECTION
✅Severe diarrhoea
✅Vomiting
✅Abdominal pain
✅Fever
These symptoms may last for five to seven days.
A serious complication of this infection is dehydration where the body is depleted of most of its water.
This can lead to prolonged hospitalization and even death. Dehydration needs to be recognized and treated by a doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms of dehydration:
• Thirsty
• Dry mouth, skin
• Very tired or lethargic
• Weakness
• Not peeing or in babies not having a wet nappy for a long time
• Have sunken eyes
• Sunken fontanelle or soft spot in a baby’s head.
PROTECT YOUR CHILD FROM ROTAVIRUS DIARRHOEAL DISEASE. VACCINATE YOUR CHILD WITH TWO DOSES OF ROTARIX VACCINE AT 6 AND 10 WEEKS OF AGE.
HOW MANY DOSES OF ROTARIX ARE GIVEN❔
• Two doses schedule
• Given at 6 weeks and 10 weeks along with Penta 1, PCV 1 & Penta 3, PCV 2
• Minimum gap of 8 weeks
FACTS ABOUT ROTARIX VACCINE.
✅This is a two dose vaccine and is given orally.
✅The first dose is given at 6 weeks with other scheduled vaccines such as Oral Polio, Pneumococcal and Pentavalent vaccines. The second dose is given at 10 weeks again with Oral Polio, Pneumococcal and Pentavalent Vaccines.
✅There is a minimum of four weeks interval between each dose and if delayed, the two doses should be completed by six months.
🔵Visit your nearest Health care facility or hospital
Monday to Fridays.
9AM – 5PM
🔵The TTM EPI clinic at Moto’otua is open on Saturday mornings.
For more information please contact Ministry of Health toll free line #800 6440
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