Starting from September 1, maids working in households with young children who are not fully vaccinated against measles must now be immunized against the disease. This new mandatory measure is designed to protect unvaccinated young children who are at a higher risk of serious health complications from measles infections, according to the Ministry of Manpower.

Recently, there has been an increase in measles infections in the US, and Singapore has recorded ten cases this year as of the week ending May 10. This is just one case short of the total number of cases reported in 2024.

Employers with children under the age of seven must provide specific information at the time of work permit issuance for migrant domestic workers or when renewing their work permit:

• Whether the domestic worker is already vaccinated or immune to measles
• Whether all children under seven are fully vaccinated
• If the domestic worker has not been vaccinated but has a scheduled vaccination appointment

According to MOM, a domestic worker does not need to be vaccinated if she is immune to measles or if all children under seven in the household are fully vaccinated against measles. Employers can provide proof of immunity through past infection or vaccination by submitting documents such as proof of vaccination completion, serology test results, or laboratory confirmation of past infection.

Employers with current workers are encouraged to check the immunity status of their workers before renewing their permits. To be considered fully vaccinated, individuals must receive two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, with at least 28 days between doses.

The MMR vaccine is available at private GP clinics for domestic workers, and the costs associated with meeting the measles immunity requirements are to be covered by the employers. Measles vaccination has been mandatory in Singapore since 1985, and the National Childhood Immunization Schedule recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine at 12 months and 15 months.

Despite high vaccination rates and population immunity in Singapore, sporadic cases and small clusters of measles can still occur among individuals who are not immune to the disease due to its highly contagious nature. MOM emphasized that the increase in measles cases globally and regionally poses public health risks, especially for individuals without measles immunity.