Thousands of children at risk as killer disease jabs snubbed
FEAR is growing over falling totals of children being vaccinated against potentially deadly diseases.
The drop in immunisations has left Britain “turning back the clock and leaving thousands of children unprotected”.
The number of children under two being vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella has fallen to 91.2 per cent – the fourth year running MMR immunisation has decreased.
It is also the lowest rate since 2011-12.
The World Health Organisation recommends that at least 95 per cent are vaccinated.
The WHO said that Britain had “eliminated” measles last year.
But there have been hundreds of cases so far this year.
Public Health England said that between January 1 and September 10 there were 876 measles victims in England.
The increase has been linked to travel and outbreaks in Europe.
Officials said that those age groups missed out on the MMR
ALARM AT SOARING TOLL OF MEASLES VICTIMS
THE number of people diagnosed with measles has soared in recent years, prompting health officials to declare a “national measles incident” in July.
Public Health England issued an alert to GPs following a five-fold increase in infections.
There were 643 confirmed cases in the first six months of this year, compared with 274 in the whole of 2017.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, said: “The vaccine when they were younger have been particularly affected.
Also, the percentage of one-yearolds who have received the five-inone vaccine – which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Hib – has declined for a fifth year, reaching its lowest level since 2008-09.
Royal College of Nursing’s Helen Donovan said: “For the first time last year, Britain was declared free UK recently achieved WHO measles elimination status and so the overall risk of measles to the UK population is low.
“However, we will continue to see cases in unimmunised individuals.
“Onward spread can occur in communities with low MMR coverage.”
The number of people diagnosed in Europe also rocketed – from 5,273 in 2016 to 21,315 in 2017. of endemic measles. But these figures show we are turning the clock back and leaving thousands of children unprotected.
“Coverage declined in nine out of 12 routine vaccination measures.
“This means immunity against deadly diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria and polio is dropping.
“These were diseases of the past – they should not be part of our future.”