Measles and the Importance of Vaccination
From 1 October 2023, there have been 347 laboratory confirmed measles cases reported in England, with 127 of these cases confirmed in January 2024.
75% (260/347) of these cases have been in the West Midlands, 13% (46/347) in London and 7% (24/347) in Yorkshire and The Humber.
The majority (233/347, 67%) of these cases are in children under the age of 10 and 24% (85/347) in young people and adults over the age of 15.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, UKHSA Consultant Epidemiologist, said:
The ongoing measles outbreak in the West Midlands remains a concern. MMR vaccine coverage has been falling for the last decade with 1 out of 10 children starting school in England not protected and so there is a real risk that this outbreak could spread to other towns and cities.
Measles is a nasty illness for most children and for some can be serious, but it is completely preventable. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your children. If you or your child are not up to date with your two doses of MMR vaccine please contact your GP to catch-up now.
The Importance of Vaccination
The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective combined vaccine.
It protects against 3 serious illnesses:
These highly infectious conditions can easily spread between unvaccinated people.
Getting vaccinated is important, as these conditions can also lead to serious problems including meningitis, hearing loss and problems during pregnancy.
2 doses of the MMR vaccine provide the best protection against measles, mumps and rubella.
Information:
If you have any questions about vaccinations, you can:
- ask your GP surgery or other healthcare professionals for advice
- read more about why vaccination is safe and important
For further information please visit (MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk)#
Non-urgent advice: Missed vaccines
You can still ask your GP surgery for the MMR vaccine if your child has missed either of these 2 doses.