Advice can be found by calling the Immunisation team on 0300 790 0594 option 1.

Parents and carers are being urged to check their children’s vaccination status, following an increase in measles cases in the UK. The disease is so infectious that the NHS is warning that as many as nine out of ten unvaccinated children would be susceptible to measles if a single classmate brought it into school.

Vaccination rates in some parts of the local area have fallen in recent years, but it’s not too late to make sure that children have the protection they need against a range of potentially nasty illnesses.  It is recommended that children receive the MMR vaccine in two doses: one at around 12 months and the second at around three years and four months.  The vaccination is safe and effective, offering protection against measles, mumps and rubella which are dangerous, highly infectious illnesses which can cause serious complications. 

There are many reasons why some children may not be up to date on all of their immunisations such as the impact of COVID1-19 pandemic or families changing their minds for example.  If families have missed an appointment or would like to have their child vaccinated, the vaccination is available.  The NHS offers not only routine immunisation programmes for children under the age of five but also schedules up to the teenage years for those who have missed a vaccination. 

It would be much appreciated if you could share this message with your staff and parents, to encourage them to check their child’s immunisation schedule and if they have had their two doses of the MMR vaccine before reaching school age. 

Parents or carers whose children need catch-up doses of any immunisation can gain advice from their GP.  You can also read more on the NHS website.