Introduction Measles is not just another childhood illness—it’s one of the most contagious diseases known to humans. Its ability to spread rapidly through communities has led to explosive outbreaks in areas with low vaccination coverage. The secret to its high transmissibility lies in a concept called R₀ (basic reproduction number). Understanding R₀ helps explain why controlling measles requires extremely high levels of immunity in a population. What is R₀ (Basic Reproduction Number)? For measles, the R₀ is estimated between 12 and 18, making it one of the highest among all infectious diseases.This means that one person with measles can infect…
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Introduction Vaccines have revolutionized public health by drastically reducing the spread of once-deadly diseases. Among the most important is the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella—three highly contagious viral infections. With recent outbreaks of measles in parts of the world, there has been renewed attention on the MMR vaccine. This article explores how the MMR vaccine works, its safety and effectiveness, and why widespread immunization is critical for herd immunity. What Is the MMR Vaccine? The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine that protects against: The vaccine contains live, weakened forms of the viruses that trigger the…