Four unvaccinated children are hospitalized in intensive care units due to measles—one of them connected to an ECMO machine, which simulates heart-lung function.

The Health Ministry announced on Monday evening that babies aged six to eleven months can now receive the measles vaccine at family health clinics (Tipat Chalav) without an appointment—before visiting areas with active outbreaks or if they have social or family connections in those areas.

Until now, the additional early vaccination was recommended only for babies living in affected communities.

The ministry noted that an early dose of the measles (MMR) vaccine provides 70–85% protection against the disease and therefore strongly recommends that parents of babies in this age group vaccinate their children.

It is important to note that this early dose will not count as part of the two standard doses required in the Health Ministry’s routine vaccination program—given at one year of age and in first grade.

According to the Health Ministry, the city of Harish has now joined the active measles outbreak map, alongside Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Modi’in Illit, and Nof HaGalil. Special measles vaccination stations have been established in these cities to strengthen immunization efforts, with no prior appointment required.

As of Monday, 29 measles patients are hospitalized, most of them unvaccinated children under the age of six. Among them, five are in intensive care, four of whom are unvaccinated children. One patient is connected to an ECMO machine, and one is a patient whose vaccination status is unknown.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)