Pop-up clinics set up in Kirklees amid rise in measles cases
Health officials are worried about low vaccination rates
Pop up clinics are being set up across Kirklees amid a rise in measles cases.
16 were reported in the county at the end of January, following news of an outbreak in the West Midlands in recent weeks.
Cllr Jackie Ramsay, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care said: “Measles is a serious illness, as measles cases continue to rise across the country we want to ensure that children/young people in Kirklees have their MMR vaccine and we want to encourage families to come forward to get protection.
“Measles is not just a childhood disease and can be serious at any age. To achieve herd immunity the community vaccination rate needs to be above 95 percent.”
In Kirklees, statistics covering the period of April 2021 and March 2022 show that the MMR vaccination rates were below the 95 percent target set by the World Health Organisation for achieving herd immunity. In this period, 91.5 percent of 24-month-old children had received their first dose.
The percentage of five-year-olds who had received their first dose stood at 94.9 percent. However, only 90.6 percent of five-year-olds had received both the first and second doses.
Cllr Ramsay added: “Our health partners will be taking their community clinic in a van back out on the road again this week to help provide the MMR vaccine. No appointment needed just drop-in.”