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Parents urged to take up MMR vaccine
Parents are being urged to make sure their children are fully vaccinated before they go back to school, as cases of measles increase in the UK.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) says that there has been a surge in cases of measles this summer. They predict that the 480 confirmed cases so far will grow to exceed last year's total of 756 cases, which was itself the highest annual number since records began in 1995.
“Measles is a highly infectious and dangerous illness, and as there is increased close contact in schools, it can spread easily,” said Dr Mary Ramsay, a consultant epidemiologist with the HPA.
“Over the summer holidays we have seen more cases of measles being reported than we would normally expect. This means it is crucial that children are fully immunised with two doses of MMR before they return to school.”
The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is given in two doses, the first at around thirteen months of age and the next between three and five years. Latest figures suggest that uptake of the vaccine is 88% for the first dose, but only 74% for the second, leaving some children without immunity.
Last year, a thirteen-year-old boy became the first person to die of measles in the UK for 14 years.
Category: Healthcare
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