According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the NHS, more than one in 10 eligible children under the age of five in England have not had the MMR vaccine or are partially vaccinated.
It says since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, there has been a ‘significant’ drop in the number of parents and carers getting their children vaccinated against MMR - which protects against measles, mumps and rubella - and taking up other childhood vaccines.
The first MMR dose is offered to children when they turn one and the second dose to pre-school children when they are around three years and four months old.
To increase take-up of the vaccine and prevent a resurgence in any of the three infectious diseases, the UKHSA and NHS have launched a campaign, alongside this, the Early Years Alliance has highlighted the role that early years settings and educators play in helping to inform parents about the risks of measles, mumps and rubella.
Quality and standards manager at the Alliance Melanie Pilcher said, ‘Early years providers offer a safe space for parents to discuss their child’s health and development, and so the campaign and resources will be extremely beneficial to early educators, enabling them to signpost families to clear and reliable information on the MMR vaccine.
‘We know parents and carers are often unsure who to talk to about the MMR vaccine, so we would encourage providers to support the campaign and help ensure families get the information they need to feel confident about how to protect their children against these infectious diseases.’
A survey of 2,000 parents of children aged five and under, commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), showed that almost one in five (18 per cent) parents who haven’t had their child vaccinated for MMR are not aware that the infections remain a threat in the UK. Almost half of parents (48 per cent) are not aware that measles can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and brain inflammation.
'Measles is much more infectious than Covid-19'
Dr Helen Bedford, professor of children’s health at University College London, said, ‘Measles is much more infectious than Covid-19 and potentially a serious illness for children, especially the very young. A key issue is that measles cases have been extremely low during the pandemic, but measles won’t go away unless we reach WHO vaccine uptake targets. At current vaccines levels there is a real and imminent risk of measles outbreaks.
‘In the UK we are fortunate to have a highly successful childhood immunisation programme offering vaccines to protect children against fourteen potentially serious infections before the age of five years. To protect our children, it is important that we meet the vaccine targets, and have appropriate data that helps us understand any difference in uptake so we can provide tailored support to families where needed.’
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) said it was ‘absolutely critical’ that the Government publishes its long overdue vaccination strategy, alongside a new, cross-departmental child health strategy.
- For more information on MMR click here
