BRITS have “forgotten” how serious measles can be, warns health chief, as vaccine drop to lowest levels in over a decade
Dame Jenny Harries of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said a “national call to action” is needed to ensure children are vaccinated against potentially deadly measles.
GettyMeasles will spread around the country without a better jab uptake[/caption]
Vaccination rates nationwide have been dropping, especially in parts of London and the West Midlands.
There were 1,603 suspected cases of measles in England and Wales in 2023, a sharp increase from 735 cases in 2022 and 360 in 2021.
In the largest surge of cases outside the capital, the West Midlands has confirmed 198 cases, with 104 “likely” cases.
Meanwhile, Birmingham Children’s Hospital has treated more than 50 children since December.
Ahead of her visit to Birmingham today, Dame Jenny told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that people have “forgotten what measles is like”.
“Children will often get problems such as ear infections and diarrhoea, and your immune system tends to drop as well.
“And so what we often see is secondary bacterial and viral infections, and children may be hospitalised.
“So measles has serious complications and serious unpleasantness.”
She added: “The focus this morning obviously is on the West Midlands and I’m going there, but I think the real issue is we need a call to action right across the country.”
The UKHSA has now declared the measles outbreak a national incident, allowing it to put more resources into tackling the problem.
In some areas of London, nearly half of children have not been vaccinated against it.
The vaccine, the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) jab, is delivered in two doses, the first given at 12 months and the second at about three years and four months before children start school.
Dame Jenny said the UK had previously established an elimination status for measles, but vaccination rates have now dropped.
“Our vaccination rates now have dropped on average to about only 85 per cent of children arriving at school having had the two MMR doses.
“In the West Midlands, that’s in some areas down to 81 per cent, (and) if we go down to the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board area, that’s just over 70 per cent.
“So we are well under the recommended coverage for MMR vaccination that the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends.”
Up to 102,000 children in England aged four and five started reception this year started the school year without being jabbed, meaning they are at high risk.
Susceptibility to the bug is also high among 19- to 25-year-olds, of which many went unvaccinated because of unfounded worries about the vaccine in the early 2000s.
Many parents, especially in London, did not take their children for the two shots of MMR vaccine at the ages of one and nearly four, because of this.
Pop-up clinics are being introduced in parts of the UK to get more children vaccinated as cases continue to rise.
And unvaccinated children who come into contact with the disease are being advised to stay at home for 21 days.
This is because measles is highly contagious.
If one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people around him or her will also become infected if they are not protected.
Dr David Elliman, of Great Ormond Street Hospital, previously warned we could see “dozens of death” this winter, unless measures are taken.
“As between one in 1,000 to one in 5,000 people getting measles will die, we could see dozens of deaths from an easily preventable disease.
“On top of this would be many more hospital admissions, as we have sadly seen in the Midlands, and people left with long-term problems.”
What happens if you catch measles?
Measles is recognised by a high fever, a blotchy red or brown rash, sore, red and watery eyes, coughing and sneezing.
It usually clears up on its own after 10 days, but in some cases, it can travel to other parts of the body, like the lungs or brain, and cause serious illness.
Complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, seizures, and death.
Babies and young children, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system are more at risk.
It’s very unlikely to be measles if you’ve had both MMR vaccine doses or had measles before.
Those with mild symptoms are asked not to visit their GP or hospital but to call the NHS on 111.
You should also stay away from nursery, school or work for at least four days from when the rash first appears.
Have you or your family been affected by measles? Email [email protected]