Field guide for planning and implementing supplemental immunization activities for measles and rubella

Measles and rubella remain important causes of vaccine-preventable disease and death in the European Region of WHO. The Strategic plan for measles and congenital rubella infection in the WHO European Region identifies key strategies to meet the objectives of interrupting indigenous measles transmission and preventing congenital rubella infection (< 1 case of congenital rubella syndrome per 100 000 live births) by 2010. Surveillance guidelines for measles and congenital rubella infection in the WHO European Region is a companion document, which provides technical advice on the design and implementation of surveillance programmes for these diseases.

Supplementary immunization activities (SIA) for measles are a way to quickly reduce the number of susceptibles in the population. When measles-rubella vaccine is used for cohorts susceptible to measles and rubella and rubella vaccine for other women of childbearing age, SIA provide the opportunity to quickly meet the 2010 objectives. Field guide for planning and implementing supplemental immunization activities for measles and rubella is intended to assist national immunization programme managers and subnational staff in the planning, organization, implementation and evaluation of SIA that may be required to meet the objectives.