Snow White visits the Tarawera Medical Centre for an Immunisation Day

With the measles outbreak centred in Auckland the nurses  have been extremely busy with immunisations to ensure all who want protection have been able to receive it. This week Snow White and her helper appeared to help with the effort and impressed young and old. This was an initiative of Michele Pearson-Garcia who has recently joined the nursing team. She was supported by all the staff including Tracy Wilson who joined the fun in costume too.

Tracy Wilson and Michele Pearson-Garcia in costume for the Snow White Immunisation Day

The measles outbreak is a timely reminder not to become complacent about illnesses that many have forgotten. Some of us grew up in an age when measles, whooping cough, mumps, rubella were a right of passage. These had long term implications for some and it was just accepted as random tragedy as there was no way of preventing it. To better understand this issue the Health Promotion Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora website has a number of resouces including this video.