Samoa's Measles Epidemic - what really caused multiple deaths in 2018 & 2019?

The Samoan measles vaccine story begins on 6 July 2018, when two Samoan nurses were convicted for negligently administering MMR injections to two babies who then died. 15 months later a measles epidemic broke out in which 83 mostly children died. This was blamed on the lack of MMR vaccinations. But what really happened in 2018 and 2019? This 5 part video digs deep into other possible pandemic causes, and at the end scrutinises the cause of the two infant deaths in 2018.

Links in order of appearance:
1. When did Samoa’s MMR (Mumps, Measles & Rubella) vaccination programme restart?
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/46741
https://www.health.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MOH-AR-18-19_ENGLISH-VERSION.pdf
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpc.14752
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/21973
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=410569263064564

2. What percent of Samoan 12mnth olds were vaccinated before the 2019 measles epidemic?
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpc.14752
https://www.unicef.org/pacificislands/press-releases/measles-outbreaks-continue-unabated-five-countries-accounted-nearly-half-all-measles
https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/wuenic-trends-2023
https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/country_profiles/Samoa/Immunization-coverage-estimates-2020_wsm.pdf
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30044-X/fulltext
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/immunization-samoa-2023-country-profile
https://www.health.gov.ws/acts-regulations

https://www.health.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MOH-AR-18-19_ENGLISH-VERSION.pdf
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/immunization-samoa-2023-country-profile
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/48601
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/immunization-samoa-2023-country-profile
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/48601
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/vaccine-information-healthcare-professionals/immunisation-coverage/national-and-regional-immunisation-data

3. What was Samoa’s sickness profile in 2018 & 2019?
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/274294
https://sdd.spc.int/news/2020/09/23/2020-pacific-islands-population-poster
https://www.sbs.gov.ws/demographic-health-survey-dhs

4. Could vaccinating a vulnerable population have made the measles epidemic worse?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication357688558_Control_of_a_nosocomial_measles_outbreak_among_previously_vaccinated_adults_in_a_population_with_high_vaccine_coverage_Korea_2019
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/pdfs/mm6826a3-H.pdf
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/51043
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/52450
https://reliefweb.int/report/samoa/ministry-health-press-release-1-measles-epidemic https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/53216
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/53308

The rest of the Part 4 &5 links can be found here: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/8780838