Many countries have seen sharp falls in the number of measles cases as a result of covid-19 controls, but the pandemic has also interrupted immunisation programmes
Health
27 October 2021
Sydney Airport in Australia looks deserted due to closed borders and travel restrictions Robert Wallace/Wallace Media Network/Alamy
Not a single case of measles has been recorded in Australia this year, which is a side benefit of the country shutting its borders to keep out the coronavirus. Measles rates have also plummeted in most other nations, but experts are worried that interrupted immunisation programmes during the crisis could lead to a massive resurgence.
Before the covid-19 pandemic, measles infections in Australia had been climbing in line with global trends. In 2019, the country recorded …