Hackney Council urges parents to give children MMR vaccine
With the school summer holiday fast approaching, parents are being urged to check that their children are protected against measles by making sure they have had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Many children starting school for the first time or moving up to secondary school can be vulnerable to catching infectious diseases if they are not fully immunised. Measles is a highly infectious disease, which can be life threatening, and figures show an increase in cases across the country, with particularly high levels in Hackney.
Information leaflets have been sent to schools, explaining how you can ensure your child is vaccinated.
The MMR jab is free on the NHS and can be provided by your local GP, but extra walk-in clinics have also been arranged to make sure as many children as possible can be seen before the new school year begins.
Many people wrongly assume that measles is a harmless childhood disease but this is not the case. Tragically, someone recently died in Wales after contracting measles, so it’s absolutely vital that we take this seriously. We’re working closely with local GPs, Homerton University Hospital and other health agencies to encourage parents in Hackney to immunise and protect their children, so if in doubt, please speak to your doctor.
Measles can be a very serious disease, leading to ear and chest infections, fits, diarrhoea and damage to the brain.
Make sure your child does not miss out; if you cannot remember if your child has had any, one or two doses of the MMR vaccine, check his or her personal child health record (the red book) or speak to your GP, health visitor, school nurse or children’s centre. If you're not registered with a GP, register now and speak to them about vaccinations.
Find out more about measles and local vaccination clinics.