Measles cases are rising in England and across Europe this year. Make sure you and your family are protected against becoming seriously unwell with measles by checking you are up to date with the MMR vaccine.
Across England, on average one in ten children are not up to date with their MMR vaccinations, with some areas of the country as low as two in five, putting thousands of children at risk of catching measles and the disease spreading in unvaccinated communities.
Just two doses of the MMR vaccine gives you and your family lifelong protection against catching measles. The first vaccine is given at age one year and the second at age 3 years and 4 months old. If you’ve missed any doses it’s not too late to catch up. Contact you’re GP Practice today to book an appointment to get up to date.
If you are unsure if you or your child are up to date check your child’s red book or GP records and make an appointment to catch up any missed doses.
UKHSA have predicted that the risk in London is high this year and cases could rise to between 40k and 160k due to low uptake of the MMR and the number of cases being imported and spread.
The overall risk to England is low, but there are cases of measles in every region and numbers are rising. UKHSA suggest that without intervention cases will continue to rise in all regions.
Key stats and insights
- Over 1 in 10 children are unvaccinated and unprotected against Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) in England
- London has an increased risk due to as low at 2 in 5 children unvaccinated and higher case numbers of measles this year
- Measles can make children seriously unwell with one in five needing a hospital visit
- One on 15 children develop serious complications from a measles infection, which can include meningitis and blindness
- There is no medical treatment for measles; vaccination is the best protection against becoming seriously unwell
- The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and has been used since the early 1980s.
- The evidence is clear; there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism
Call to action for patients
- If your child has missed their first or second dose of MMR vaccine contact your GP practice to book an appointment.
- If you are unsure if your child is due a vaccination or has missed a vaccination, check their red book or contact your GP practice.
- For adults, it is never too late to catch up on their MMR vaccinations, contact your GP practice to book an appointment