Parents and guardians of young children in the North West are being urged to make sure they have had all the vaccines they need before they start school in September.
Having vaccinations before starting school tops up children’s antibodies to fight off serious childhood diseases and stay protected. Before they start school, children should have received a 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whopping cough and polio and also receive their pre-school measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Most children have these vaccines around the age of 3 years and 4 months. However there are a number of children about to start school who have not yet been vaccinated.
In every region of England, cases of measles are rising. Latest data shows that, in the North West, only 87.1% of children have had both doses of the MMR vaccine, when they reached their fifth birthday – and in some parts of the region the figure is lower than 80%. This falls significantly below the 95% World Health Organisation (WHO) target needed to achieve and sustain measles elimination and stop the spread of the disease. This means that NUMBER-COUNT children at five years of age in the North West are not fully protected against measles.
Measles is highly infectious. Spending more than 15 minutes with someone infected with measles is enough time for the virus to spread. Measles can lead to complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, and inflammation of the brain which require hospitalisation and on rare occasions can lead to long term disability or death. Catching measles can also have a long-term effect on some children’s immune system, which means they may catch other infections more easily.
Vaccination before starting school is the best way to protect children, their friends, babies and people with weakened immune systems. Even if children have missed vaccine doses, it’s not too late to get them vaccinated to help protect them from serious diseases.
Mum-of-one Lisa Leatherbarrow, from Liverpool, whose one-year-old son Tyler has just had his first dose of MMR, said she was determined to make sure he had having his routine childhood immunisations. She said: “Although as a first-time mum I was nervous before Tyler’s first set of immunisations, we know that they’re for his health and safety.”
Tyler’s dad Tariq added: “Kids catch all sorts, especially when they start nursery. It’s hard to watch him upset after the injection, but it’s worth it in the end to build up his immunity.”
Julie Kelly, Interim Regional Director of Primary Care and Public Health Commissioning at NHS England - North West said: “We have seen a worrying increase in cases of measles across England, but we know that the MMR and other pre-school vaccinations can prevent children and their school friends from catching dangerous, but preventable, childhood diseases.
“If you have a child starting school this September, please ensure they have the best start to their school journey and are up to date with their pre-school vaccinations.
“We recommend that parents whose children are due to start school this September make sure they’ve had all of their routine vaccinations first. If you’re not sure if they’re up to date, please do check your child’s Red Book (personal child health record) or speak to your GP surgery to check if they are up to date with vaccines.”
Hayley Mercer, Consultant in Health Protection & Vaccine preventable Disease Lead, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) North West, said:
“Measles is a very infectious virus and can spread rapidly among communities if people have not been fully immunised. While most people who catch measles will recover completely within a couple of weeks, it's important to remember measles can be a very serious illness that can leave permanent disability, and occasionally even kill.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic we saw a fall in uptake for the routine childhood vaccinations, including MMR which leaves our communities vulnerable to outbreaks, especially as children head back to school.
“Anyone who has not had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination is at risk, and children are especially vulnerable. But it’s important to remember that measles is not just a childhood illness and it’s never too late to have the vaccine. Measles can be more severe in young people and adults, often leading to hospital admissions. If you've not received two doses of the vaccine in the past or you're unsure, speak to your GP surgery.”
