UK health chief says get measles jab to avoid rapid spread

Measles could spread rapidly to more parts of the UK if more people are not vaccinated, a senior health official has warned.

Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said vaccination rates were “well below” levels recommended by the World Health Organization.

As cases continue to rise, temporary clinics have been introduced to vaccinate more children.

Measles is a highly contagious disease.

It is transmitted by coughing or sneezing. More than 200 cases have been confirmed in the West Midlands in recent months, most of them in Birmingham.

Mrs Jenny expressed concern that without urgent action, the measles virus could “quickly spread and spread rapidly” in other cities and towns with lower vaccination rates.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “The focus this morning is on the West Midlands, but I think the real issue needs to be a national call to action.”

UKHSA has now declared the measles outbreak a national incident, allowing more resources to be dedicated to tackling the problem.

In some parts of London, such as Hackney, nearly half of children are not fully vaccinated.

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab vaccine is given in two doses, the first at 12 months of age and the second at around 3 years and 4 months, before children start school. Masu.

Dame Jenny said the UK had previously achieved measles-free status, but vaccination rates were now falling.

“On average, only about 85% of children arrive at school with two doses of MMR,” she says.

Uptake of both MMR doses by the age of five was considered to be very low in some areas in 2022-2023, according to NHS figures.

Because measles is highly contagious and spreads easily, WHO recommends that at least 95% of the population receive two doses of the vaccine.

However, in cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham, only 75% of five-year-olds are in such a position.

Helen Bedford, professor of child health at University College London, says it is too easy to blame anti-vaccination sentiment for the current measles outbreak.

Access to GPs, fewer trained staff available to answer parents' questions about vaccines, and difficulties in booking and attending appointments are all contributing factors for parents of young children, it said. she says.

Professor Bedford added that the pandemic was also having an impact, with “some parents afraid to go to clinics for fear of contracting coronavirus or because it was unclear whether vaccination services would continue”.

In London, mobile vaccination clinics are being set up to increase vaccination coverage in the borough of Camden, where one in four children starts school late to receive the MMR vaccine.

Kirstin Watters, director of health and wellbeing at Camden Council, said the clinic provided a convenient place for busy parents to check a jab off their list.

“When we talk to parents, we find that most parents intend to vaccinate their children. We have a high level of trust and confidence. They're just finding it difficult to take the vaccine and go to the vaccination clinic,” she said. Today's program.

Dame Jenny said people had forgotten how devastating it was to catch measles.

“I'm actually from the generation that suffered from measles, so I don't remember much about my childhood, but I do remember it being really devastating,” she said.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in humans. On average, in a community with low protection, one person will spread the virus to 15 other people.

That makes it much more contagious than the coronavirus, which has an R or reproduction number of about 3.

R is a method of assessing the ability of a disease to spread.

If your child has missed either of the two doses, we recommend asking your child's doctor to administer the MMR vaccine.

Older children and adults can also get the jab at any time by booking an appointment through their GP.

We encourage young people who are starting college, or people in their 20s who may not have been able to attend college as children, to come forward.

The standard MMR vaccine contains ingredients derived from pork, but people who don't eat pork products can request an alternative version called Priorix from their GP.

Measles is recognized by a high fever, a patchy red or brown rash, sore eyes, red and watery eyes, and coughing and sneezing.

It usually clears up in 7 to 10 days, but it can cause serious problems if it infects other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain.

Complications may include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, and seizures.

Infants and young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are more at risk.

People who have measles are contagious for at least four days after the rash appears.

People with mild symptoms are asked not to visit their GP or hospital and instead call the NHS on 111 or get help online.

You should also stay away from daycares, schools, universities, work, and other group activities while you have an infection.