Nursery World - Child Health: Call for action on MMR jab

Researchers studying the uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine have called for early years settings to do more to counter the rise in cases of measles.

Health Protection Agency data shows there were 971 cases of measles in2007, compared with 740 in 2006.

A University College London study used data from the Millennium CohortStudy of 14,578 children born in the UK from 2000 to 2002 and looked atfactors associated with the uptake of MMR. The study found 88.6 per centreceived the MMR and 5.2 per cent had received at least one singleantigen vaccine, leaving 6.2 per cent unimmunised.

Helen Bedford, senior lecturer on children's health and co-author of thereport (search for MMR at www.bmj.com), said, 'It's important to say youneed two doses of MMR to be fully immunised, and it's never too late.Also, it is not standard practice to track immunisation, and it shouldbe. GPs should have a record and send reminders to parents.'

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