Liverpool Measles expert says more kids need to get vaccinated
Children getting the MMR jab has dropped this year
Parents and guardians are being warned about the dangers of Measles and ways to protect children against it as figures rise.
A Liverpool University doctor has told us, the rise in Measles infections is a ‘perfect storm’ of vaccine misinformation, and parents not wanting to add stress to the NHS.
The UK has seen a dramatic drop in children getting the MMR vaccination and global cases of measles have doubled in the first two months of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021.
A Measles infection can lead to complications such as pneumonia, blindness, and encephalitis.
Encephalitis stems from an inflammation of the brain and is caused either by an infection invading the brain or through the immune system attacking the brain in error.
Doctor Ava Easton, Chief exec of the Encephalitis society and honorary fellow at Liverpool University said: “Encephalitis means inflammation of the brain. People may be more familiar with meningitis, which is swelling of the lining of the brain, but Encephalitis is swelling of the brain itself.
It’s caused either by a person's immune system going wrong or more often by everyday infection, such as covid-19 or of course measles.”
Dr Easton “More than one in ten five year olds are not up to date with their two doses of the MMR vaccine.
“That’s much lower than the 95% we need in order to have heard immunity so meaning we have sufficient impunity in our community.”
The UK lost its measle free status, which is awarded by the world health organization, before the pandemic in 2019.
Dr Easton believes the pandemic has increased some of the difficulties relating to lowering vaccination rates.
She said: “People didn't realise the NHS was still offering appointments for childhood vaccinations and I think many didn’t want to burden the NHS during a time of great challenge, so I think we've got sort of perfect storm.”
Dr Easton added: “It’s super important that whatever health information people are seeking that its from a trusted source.
We’ve got the internet now which is wonderful in so many ways, but misinformation does circulate there.
I think if someone is a parent whose child has not had their measles vaccination, then go and have a chat to your GP. You’ll be protecting your child and the communities in which you live.”