Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
Health professionals in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are urging parents to check their child’s vaccination status during the Easter holidays.
The advice comes after a rise in cases of measles in some parts of the country. Measles is a highly infectious disease that can lead to serious problems such as pneumonia, meningitis, and on rare occasions, long-term disability or death.
Symptoms include a high fever, sore red watery eyes and a blotchy red-brown rash, and it is particularly easy to catch in environments when in close contact with others. The disease is so infectious that as many as nine out of 10 unvaccinated children would be susceptible if a single classmate brought it into school.
Dr Janine Elson, Deputy Medical Director at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, said; “We are urging parents of young children, school aged children and teenagers to check they are up to date with their MMR vaccines. The school holiday is the perfect time to check they are protected and, if needed, book in for a catch-up dose with their GP.
“It’s never too late to catch up, and you can get the MMR vaccine for free on the NHS whatever your age. Vaccines are our best line of defence against diseases like measles, mumps and rubella and help stop outbreaks occurring in the community.
“Measles spreads very easily and can lead to complications that require a stay in hospital and on rare occasions can cause lifelong disability or death, so it is very concerning to see cases starting to pick up this year. I would urge all parents to make sure their families are protected against this nasty illness.”
The MMR vaccination protects against measles and children are offered the first dose of the vaccine when aged one year and the second dose aged 3 years 4 months.
To see if your child is up to date with their MMR vaccines, check your child’s personal child health record (PCHR), known as the red book, or contact your GP practice.
If anyone has missed one or both doses of the MMR vaccine, contact your GP practice to book an appointment. It is never too late to catch up.
Parents can find out more about the importance of the MMR vaccine and the symptoms of measles on the local NHS website.
Parents can also find information about the childhood immunisation programme on the NHS website.
