Make sure kids have had their jabs, parents told
PARENTS in Halton are being warned of the dangers of their youngsters who have just started primary school not being fully up to date with routine immunisations.
Public Health England (PHE) North West is warning that 9,000 five-yearolds in the North West may not be fully up to date.
The estimates, released as part of PHE’s Value of Vaccines campaign, show that some four and fiveyear-olds are starting school at unnecessary risk of serious diseases compared with the majority of their classmates, prompting a call for parents to check their child’s Red Book to ensure their children are up to date with immunisations.
In the UK, dose one of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is usually given to infants at around 12 months of age.
A second dose is given before school, usually at three years and four months, to ensure best protection.
Two doses of MMR in a lifetime are needed for a person to be considered fully protected.
According to PHE figures from the end of March, 87.9% of five-yearolds in Runcorn and Widnes have had both doses of the MMR vaccine.
The four-in-one preschool booster is also usually offered at three years and four months and protects against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.
About 680,000 fiveyear-olds start school in England each year according to Department For Education figures.
Based on percentage uptake from latest vaccination coverage figures PHE estimates that more than 30,000 may still need to receive their first dose of MMR, leaving them significantly more at risk compared to pupils who are fully vaccinated.
About 90,000 may still need to receive their second dose of MMR, while around 100,000 may still need their four-in-one pre-school booster that protects against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.
This means that more than 5% of five-year-olds are starting reception year having not received any MMR, leaving them at high risk of measles at a time when outbreaks of the disease are occurring across the country.
Deputy director health protection at PHE North West Angela Hardman said: “It’s a real concern that so many young children could be starting school without the full protection that the NHS childhood immunisation programme offers for free.
“We know that parents want the best protection for their children and so many may be unaware that their child is not upto-date.
“We’re urging all parents of primary school starters to check their child’s Red Book now to make sure there is a record of two MMR doses and the four-in-one booster vaccine.
“If not, parents should contact their GP practice to arrange any further vaccinations that are needed.
“We’re particularly concerned about children being at greater risk of measles.
“We’re continuing to see outbreaks of the disease occurring in communities across the country, many linked to visiting European countries over the summer holidays.
“The vast majority of ● those affected are not fully immunised and vaccine preventable diseases spread more easily in schools. It’s crucial that children have maximum protection as they begin to mix with other children at the start of their school journey.
“We often think that these diseases are confined to the past, but the World Health Organisation has recently confirmed that measles is no longer eliminated in England.
“While tetanus and polio are still rare thanks to the success of the NHS childhood immunisation programme, over the past few years we’ve also seen cases of whooping cough and diphtheria in schoolaged children.”