To curb the ongoing deadly measles outbreak in Samoa, families in the island nation are being told to hang a red flag outside their homes if they have not been vaccinated against the virus.
Many of the 60 people who have succumbed to the virus so far were children under 5, according to BBC News.
The flags are meant to help medical teams determine who still needs to be vaccinated when they travel door to door.
Last month, the country declared a state of emergency to help end the outbreak, and inoculations have been made compulsory.
Samoa has made inoculations compulsory and has a current vaccination rate of about 55%, according to officials. Vaccines generally take 10 to 14 days to start working.
The country has also closed all schools and banned those under age 17 from attending gatherings.
Measles is "highly contagious" and "can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which noted that complications usually plague children under 5 and adults over 20.
Severe cases can kill, cause pneumonia, or leave a child deaf or intellectually disabled.
Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 7 of this year, the U.S. saw 1,261 cases of the virus confirmed in 31 states, including New York.
