B2 – Upper Intermediate
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) issued an international alert because measles outbreaks are rising in multiple countries in the Americas.
Read the article to know more about how the warning suggests declining vaccination coverage after the pandemic has created “immunity gaps,” allowing the highly contagious disease to spread again.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “vulnerable population” mean? Use the term in a sentence. “The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued a new epidemiological alert on measles for the Region of the Americas, calling on countries to intensify epidemiological surveillance, vaccination, and rapid outbreak response activities to interrupt transmission and protect vulnerable populations.”
- What does “immunity gap” mean? Use the phrase in a sentence. “PAHO recommends strengthening surveillance and active case finding, including laboratory diagnosis; implementing supplementary immunization activities to close immunity gaps; and ensuring a timely response to any suspected measles case.”
- What does “active transmission” mean? Use it in a sentence. “At the same time, for all countries in the Region, PAHO stressed the importance of closing vaccination coverage gaps, maintaining sensitive and timely surveillance, and protecting travelers through vaccination, particularly those traveling to areas with active transmission.”
Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think measles is starting to spread again in different countries?
- How did the pandemic affect vaccination rates?
- Who is most at risk when measles outbreaks happen?
- Why is measles considered a dangerous disease even though it can be prevented?
- What can governments and families do to stop measles from spreading?