Maids caring for young children must get measles vaccination from September 2025

Key Concepts:

• Measles immunization for domestic workers in Singapore
• Measles infection rates in Singapore
• Vulnerable populations: young children
• Employer responsibilities: declaration and immunity status review
• Singapore's vaccination program and history
• Regional measles resurgence, particularly in Vietnam
• Herd immunity and risk assessment

Measles Immunization Mandate for Domestic Workers

• Starting September, domestic workers in Singapore must be immunized against measles if they work in households with young children who are not fully vaccinated.
• This measure is implemented by the Manpower Ministry (MOM).
• The goal is to minimize the risk of measles transmission to young children, who are more susceptible to complications from the infection.

Measles Infection Rates in Singapore

• The number of measles infections in Singapore has risen to 11 in the first five months of the year, equaling the total for 2024.
• The highest number of infections recorded in Singapore was in 1997, with over 1400 cases.

Employer Responsibilities

• Employers are required to declare the vaccination status of their domestic worker and children when issuing or renewing work permits.
• Employers are advised to review the immunity status of their domestic workers before renewing their work permits.

Singapore's Vaccination Program

• Measles vaccination has been compulsory for all children in Singapore since 1985.
• Children receive two doses of the measles vaccine.
• The protection from the vaccine is considered lifelong.

Elimination and Resurgence

• In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that Singapore had eliminated endemic transmission of measles.
• However, there has been a recent resurgence of measles cases in Southeast Asian countries, particularly in Vietnam.
• Vietnam reported over 40,000 cases and 5 deaths in March.

Risk Assessment and Herd Immunity

• Doctors in Singapore believe that the country's high vaccination rate and the immunity provided by the vaccine mean there is no need to worry about a measles outbreak.
• The high vaccination rate contributes to herd immunity, protecting those who cannot be vaccinated.

Other Vaccinations

• People planning to work in the healthcare sector are also requesting for this vaccine.

Conclusion

Singapore is implementing mandatory measles immunization for domestic workers to protect young children, given the recent increase in measles cases in the region. The country's strong vaccination program and high vaccination rates provide a good level of protection against a major outbreak.