Samoa's government has launched a mass measles immunisation campaign nationwide.
 
It said vaccination provided the best and safest protection against measles.
 
As part of the campaign, all Samoans aged between six months and 19 years, and all women aged between 20 and 35, except if they are pregnant, will be vaccinated for free.
 
The government said those were the groups most at risk of serious complications from measles, including death.
 
Seventeen people have reportedly died in Samoa during the outbreak and the government has said all the children who died were unvaccinated.
A list of times and places where measles vaccines are available is on the Ministry of Health's website.
 
Vaccination teams would also be going out into communities.

SOURCE: RNZ PACIFIC/PACNEWS
 

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