Red flags at the door: Samoa is struggling with families that we did not spare a quarry

The island, which declared an emergency due to a deadly outbreak of the disease, announced that the same families should make it clear that they were not immunized to assist in the fight. More than 60 people have died so far, many of them children. The vaccination rate is climbing, but it is still very far from the target - close to 100%. "It's the only cure"

Red flags at the door: Samoa is struggling with families that we did not spare a quarry

Families not vaccinated against measles in Samoa were asked to hang a red flag outside their homes to help fight a deadly outbreak of the disease. The flags will help medical teams go door-to-door in vaccinating residents. The government on an island in the Pacific said more than 4,000 people were infected with measles, out of a population of 200,000. 60 people have died so far, many of them children under five.

Last month, Samoa declared an emergency to fight the outbreak, and it requires residents to be vaccinated. All schools are closed, and those aged 17 and under are not allowed to gather in public. Samoa officials said the vaccination rate now reached about 55% of all citizens.

Samoa Prime Minister Tilapa Sayla of Lailgaui has promised to raise the vaccine rate to over 90%. "Our children and people will never be vaccinated against a future epidemic unless vaccination rates are nearly 100%," he said during a hospital tour on Wednesday. "It's the only cure." It usually takes between 10 days and two weeks for the vaccine to start to have an effect.

Some of the islanders are turning to false treatments. One businessman told the Australian ABC network that his drinking water can relieve the symptoms. Samoa's Attorney General Lemuel Herman Ratzlaf warned last month against any calls for vaccines, which he said would be handled by law enforcement agencies.

Child vaccines a quarry last month (Photo: AP)

Child vaccines a quarry in the town of Apia, Samoa, November 2019 (Photo: AP)

Measles can be fatal, especially if it causes pneumonia or encephalitis. It is estimated that around 110,000 people die from the disease worldwide each year.

Neighboring Tonga and Fiji also declared an emergency last month following a measles outbreak in their territory. However, in both countries the vaccination rate is much higher - over 90% - and so far no deaths have been reported in their territory.

Quarry infection rates are on the rise worldwide. The World Health Organization announced in April that the number of cases reported worldwide was four times higher in the last three months of this year, compared to the same period last year

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