Liverpool health officials make vaccine plea amid measles outbreak fears
Vaccine take-up in some Liverpool wards is barely above 50%
Health officials in Liverpool are fearing a measles outbreak because of the low vaccine take-up across the city.
Nationally, it's around 80% but it's lower in Liverpool. In some wards, it's as low as 53%.
The World Health Organisation target is 95% to try and eradicate it.
Professor Louise Kenny from the University of Liverpool has shared a story of treating a boy early in her career who eventually died of complications caused by having measles.
Professor Kenny said:
"One in five kids who catch measles will require hospital admission and one in 1,000 of them will die.
"There is a very safe, very effective vaccine and it's important all adults check their kids and their own vaccination schedule and make sure that they're fully vaccinated.
"There will be some people, because of weakened immune systems or because they're too young to get the vaccine, who will always be vulnerable in the face of a measles outbreak.
"We've already seen measles outbreaks in the Midlands and in London and given the low rates of vaccination in the Liverpool City Region, it's surely only a matter of time (before an outbreak).
"If we collectively reach 95% vaccination rates across our city, we will look after everybody. We'll achieve what we call herd immunity and it means that nobody in our society will be at risk of this devastating condition."
New figures released by the UK Health Security Agency have revealed 'clusters' of cases in the North West, with 24 cases since October 2023.
There's a particular concern that a paper published in a medical journal in 1998, falsely suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine and autism, is having an impact on low vaccine rates.
That link has since been discredited.
Professor Kenny added:
"That research has been proven, unequivocally, to be completely false. Completely fictitious, it's been debunked by numerous studies in numerous countries over many years.
"There is absolutely no link whatsoever between the MMR vaccine and autism, but unfortunately, the anti-vax movement has taken a bit of a hold and perpetuates that myth.
"I can understand parents being fearful, but I cannot reassure them enough that the vaccine is safe.
"On the other hand, getting measles will absolutely put your child at very significant risk of a whole range of really nasty complications - some of which are life-long."