We all witnessed the amazing results that vaccines achieved during Covid. The mass roll-out of jabs weakened a high-mortality infection in the UK and around the world.
So it’s deeply worrying that the rate of uptake for all routine childhood vaccinations is falling – meaning that measles, which can be a serious disease, is on the rise.
In some parts of London, less than half of children have had the MMR jab, which protects against measles, causing 104 cases in the capital last year.
The Midlands, too, is weathering a wave of measles infections, as data from our Research and Surveillance Centre and the UK Health Security Agency showed this week. Too many infants and school-aged children are unvaccinated. It would be tragic if such an outbreak turned deadly.
That’s why I’m urging parents, carers and guardians to get their children fully vaccinated, which they can do at their GPs. Young adults, who also missed the MMR vaccine should get jabbed too. After living through a global pandemic, perhaps people have grown complacent about measles, seeing it as something mild and treatable.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chairman of the Royal College Of GPs
It’s deeply worrying that the rate of uptake for all routine childhood vaccinations is falling – meaning that measles, which can be a serious disease, is on the rise (Stock Image)
The truth is it’s a highly infectious disease that can be fatal, with significant numbers of people needing hospitalisation if they suffer a lung or brain complication due to the infection.
Even having uncomplicated measles can be unpleasant, with high temperatures, a cough and a rash.
Children, pregnant women, those with weakened immune systems and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.
Some readers will remember the outbreaks of polio in the 1950s and 60s, perhaps even getting the disease themselves.
But the vaccination programme against polio saved millions of children from a deadly disease and the disability it can cause. We are lucky that it was officially eradicated in Europe in 2003.
By 2017, measles, too, had been stamped out in the UK, or so we thought. An epidemic would be a such a backward step.
Vaccinations are our ammunition against preventable diseases – but they need to be widely used if they’re to be effective.
I urge parents to trust the science. Have faith in your family doctors. The MMR vaccinations are safe, effective – and essential to safeguard the health of our children and the wider population.