MORE than a million parents are being urged to book their children up for missed MMR vaccines as measles cases surge across Britain.
Health officials have warned poor uptake of the jab has led to spikes in hospitalisations, particularly in the West Midlands and pockets of London.
Measles cases are spiking in London and the West Midlands, UKHSA data show
Experts say the “clock is ticking” to make sure people aged 11 to 25 in the areas are up to date with their doses “before this virus kills”.
Steve Russell, of the NHS, said: “Measles is a serious illness so if you or your child have not had your MMR jab, it is vital you come forward.
“People who are unvaccinated can get catch-up jabs at MMR pop-ups in schools and other convenient places.
“The NHS is acting quickly to tackle the spread of measles by contacting one million people across London and the Midlands to urge them to get their vaccine.”
NHS figures show more than 3.4million children under the age of 16 are unprotected against measles.
The UK was declared measles-free in 2017 but lost that status in 2018 as a drop in vaccination rates allowed for a resurgence of the virus across Europe.
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.
The West Midlands has seen the largest spike with 216 confirmed infections and 103 “likely” cases.
Birmingham Children’s Hospital has treated more than 50 children since December.
Vaccine uptake in Britain is down to 85 per cent, “well under” the recommended coverage, according to UK Health Security Agency chief executive Dame Jenny Harries.
Some areas of the Midlands are seeing just 81 per cent of children getting a jab, while numbers are as low as 70 per cent in NHS Surrey Heartlands.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, of the UKHSA, said: “The continuing downward trend in the uptake of routine childhood vaccinations is a serious concern.
“The diseases that these vaccines protect against, such as measles, can be life-changing and even deadly.
“No parent wants this for their child especially when these diseases are easily preventable.”
What are the symptoms of measles?
The first symptoms of measles include:
a high temperature
a runny or blocked nose
sneezing
a cough
red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days.
A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms.
Source: The NHS