PARENTS are being urged to vaccinate their children against measles before heading abroad, following outbreaks across Europe.
The appeal comes as new figures show there were 1,293 confirmed cases of the highly infectious disease in 17 countries in April alone.
two
“If you are planning to go to Europe this summer, don’t ruin your holiday by risking a measles attack which could result in hospitalisation,” Professor Helen Bedford, from University College London, told The Sun.
“Cases are rising in popular holiday destinations such as Spain.
“Measles is incredibly infectious and can also be very serious, especially in young children and adults.
“The only way to protect yourself and your children from measles is through vaccination.”
Which countries are most affected?
Data from the European Center for Disease Prevention (ECDP) shows that although measles cases in April were lower than the 1,671 reported in March, they increased by more than 1,000 percent compared to the same period last year.
In April, Romania, Poland and Belgium reported the highest number of cases, with 957, 84 and 96, respectively.
Belgium was next with 76 incidents, followed by France with 71 and Austria with 43.
The Netherlands was behind with 12 cases, Ireland nine, Spain eight and Portugal seven.
Sweden, Lithuania and Cyprus have reported five infections.
Denmark and Greece reported three cases.
Croatia and Hungary reported two infections and Estonia recorded just one.
The remaining countries did not report any cases, or any data, in April.
There have been 10,887 measles cases across the continent during the past 12 months, according to the ECDP. Seven people died.
The majority (87 percent) of those who tested positive were not vaccinated.
Get skewered
Professor Bedford urged anyone who missed out on the opportunity to receive their recovery doses
“There is still time to receive the two doses of MMR needed for better protection,” she said.
“There is no upper age limit for taking this vaccine.”
two
The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) issued similar warnings earlier this month after revealing there had been a rise in measles cases compared to previous years.
He warned Brits that jabs should be updated ahead of the summer holidays and festival season.
There have been 67 cases between January and April this year, more than the 56 reported in the entire year 2022.
“The majority of cases have occurred in London, although there have been cases detected across the country and some have been linked to overseas travel,” the UKHSA wrote.
And vaccinations for this deadly disease are at the lowest level in the last 12 years, official data reveals.
Only 84 percent of children had received both doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine by age five; this number needs to be above 90 percent to stop outbreaks.
A staggering 3.4 million under-16s in Britain are at risk of contracting the virus as they have received just one or no MMR injection.
Expert answers questions about MMR
TO help address parents’ concerns, Professor Helen Bedford, an expert in children’s public health at University College London, tells you everything you need to know about the MMR vaccine.
When is the vaccine given?
The MMR vaccine is part of the NHS Routine Childhood Immunization Programme.
It is usually administered as a single injection into the thigh muscle or upper arm.
The first dose is offered to children at one year of age (babies under one year of age may have some protection against maternally transmitted antibodies, which begin to disappear around 12 months).
The second dose is then offered to children aged three years and four months before they start school.
To check whether you or your child has received the two recommended doses of MMR, you can consult your Personal Child Health Record, also known as the red book.
If you can’t find the red book, call your family doctor and ask for your vaccination records.
You are never too old to get the MMR vaccine.
If you see from your vaccination records that you did not receive two doses as a child, you can make a vaccination appointment.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective in preventing measles, mumps and rubella.
In the UK, we started using the vaccine in 1988, so we have decades of experience using it.
The injection is made from very weakened live versions of the three viruses.
This causes the immune system to produce antibodies that protect against future exposure.
It takes up to three weeks after vaccination to be fully protected.
Like any vaccine, the MMR vaccine can cause side effects, which are usually mild and go away very quickly.
This includes a rash, high temperature, loss of appetite and a general feeling of being unwell for about two or three days.
There is also a very small chance that children could have a serious allergic reaction.
But compared to the complications of measles, there is no doubt that vaccination is by far the safest and most effective way forward.
Why was it linked to autism?
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a now-discredited paper in the medical journal The Lancet.
The article suggested that the MMR vaccine may be associated with autism and a form of intestinal disease.
This has led to a sharp decline in vaccination rates.
Even at the time, the research was considered poor.
The Lancet retracted the story in 2010 after Wakefield’s paper was deemed “dishonest” by the General Medical Council.
He was later removed and later in 2011, the British Medical Journal declared the story fraudulent.
Does it contain pig ingredients?
There are two types of MMR vaccines: one with gelatin (animal/pig collagen) and one without gelatin.
For some religious groups, the inclusion of pork products is not acceptable.
These people should ask for the vaccine without gelatin.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25515682/snapchat_houses.png?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1)
