MMR vaccine catch-up campaign
7 Aug 2008
Extra MMR vaccine and more funds are to be made available to vaccinate every child up to the age of 18 against measles
The Chief Medical Officer has asked all Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to help reduce the risk of a measles epidemic by offering the MMR vaccine to every child who has not been vaccinated. He has also asked PCTs to urge parents to get their children immunised.
The number of cases of measles in England is rising following a decade of relatively low vaccine uptake. In 2006 and 2007, there were 1,726 confirmed cases in England and Wales – more than the previous ten years put together. From 1996 to 2005, there was a total of 1,621 confirmed cases.
It is estimated that around three million children aged 18 months to 18 years have missed either their first or second MMR vaccination. Scientific advice from both the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency suggests that levels of MMR immunisation need to be increased as a matter of urgency.
The previous succes of the MMR vaccination programme reduced the number of measles cass to very low levels for a number of years. Between 1992 and 2006, there were no deaths from acute measles in England. However, there was one death in 2006 and another in 2008.
The Department of Health will support PCTs to help parents catch up by providing additional supplies of the MMR vaccine, information materials and also funding. An average PCT will receive additional funding of £30,000.
