People in Salford and across the UK are being encouraged to get the Measles vaccine after the recent surge in cases caused the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to declare a national incident.
Health experts are warning that the recent outbreak in London and the West Midlands could spread to other towns and cities.
The UKHSA campaign calls for parents and carers for children aged six to 11 to make an appointment with their child’s GP practice so they can receive the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
The low numbers of vaccinations in young children could be due to the Covid pandemic, with parents either unwilling or unaware that the NHS was still offering MMR vaccinations.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a fresh warning over measles after a 30-fold rise in cases across Europe.
Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, detailed how “vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially disease.”
She said: “Urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread.”
Students and young adults are found to be more susceptible to the virus as less are vaccinated.
Measles could prove a worry in Salford given its high student population, as well as Greater Manchester having one of the largest student populations in Europe.
Adults born between 1998 and 2004 are less likely to be vaccinated which is believed to be down to a claim in 1998 by Andrew Wakefield that the MMR jab could be linked to autism – this claim was proven very much false.
The UK was declared measles-free in 2016 but there is now concern that NHS could be overwhelmed if cases increase substantially.
As well as encouraging vaccinations, the UKHSA are advising to take precaution to the virus.
Image credit: Asian Development Bank
Recent Comments