Health officials have issued a warning over a potential surge in measles cases ahead of the beginning of the new school year.
Parents are being urged to ensure their children are fully vaccinated against “easily preventable” diseases such as measles, whooping cough, meningitis, diphtheria and polio as part of a six-week campaign by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England.
It comes amid concerns that uptake of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is still too low in some areas of England.
There was a surge of measles cases in England in 2023 following an outbreak of the disease in Birmingham. UKHSA data shows there have been 2,278 lab-confirmed measles cases in England from the start of 2024 up to 5 August.
In the four weeks to 5 August, there were 153 cases, most of which were in London which sparked an MMR catch-up campaign.
According to the UKHSA, in the past 12 months the NHS has administered 180,000 additional MMR doses, with more than 51,000 of these given to children aged five or under.
More than 13 per cent of previously unvaccinated children younger than five had their first dose of the jab during the period, while uptake of the second dose among black, Caribbean or African children aged between three and five was up by 4.9 per cent.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: “As a mum and doctor it is especially tragic to see kids suffering when these diseases are so easily preventable.
Two MMR jabs offer the best and safest protection against measles but if unvaccinated children are at risk of serious illness or life-long complications. No parent wants this for their child.
Measles – the symptoms to watch out for
Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth.
The first symptoms of measles include:
- a high temperature
- a runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- a cough
- red, sore, watery eyes
- Spots in the mouth
Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days.
A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms. The rash starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body. The spots of the measles rash are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They’re not usually itchy.
The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin. It’s very unlikely to be measles if you’ve had both doses of the MMR vaccine or you’ve had measles before.
“It is encouraging that parents whose children have missed vaccines are now coming forward, but we are a long way from ensuring all are protected and safe. And importantly vaccination is also about not spreading the disease to others who may be more vulnerable.
“Measles is highly infectious and is still circulating in many areas across the country. It only takes one case to get into a school or nursery where many children are unprotected for numbers to suddenly surge.”
Davina Barrett, from Walsall, said it was “awful” when her then three-month-old son Ezra contracted the illness.
“We were so shocked at how bad Ezra got quite quickly,” she said. “The rash spread rapidly and covered his entire body. Seeing him struggling to breathe and being hooked up to oxygen was awful. I had no idea measles could make babies so ill.
“Parents need to know that they are not just protecting their own child, but that the MMR vaccine could save the life of a baby like Ezra who is too young to have his own protection. Measles can be nasty but it’s entirely preventable.”
Steve Russell, national director for vaccinations and screening at NHS England, said: “The NHS is clear that measles can be really dangerous and so it is critical that children get vaccinated.
“So far, NHS efforts have led to thousands more young people getting protected, with over 13 per cent of previously unvaccinated children under the age of five getting protected, but we know there is more to do. We are encouraging parents to come forward if their children are not fully protected and have been invited by their GP.”
