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UK has ‘forgotten’ how nasty highly-infectious measles can be, warns top health chief as she calls for ‘national action’
Plus, exactly what happens to your body when you catch measles
BRITS have "forgotten" how serious measles can be, warns health chief, as vaccine rates drop to lowest levels in over a decade.
Dame Jenny Harries of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said a "national call to action" is needed to halt the spread of the highly-infectious bug.
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It comes as vaccination rates nationwide have dropped, especially in parts of London and the West Midlands.
There were 1,603 suspected cases of measles in England and Wales in 2023, a sharp increase from 735 cases in 2022 and 360 in 2021.
In the largest surge of cases outside the capital, the West Midlands has confirmed 198 cases, with 104 “likely” cases.
Meanwhile, Birmingham Children’s Hospital has treated more than 50 children since December.
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Ahead of Dame Jenny's visit to Birmingham today, the expert told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that people have "forgotten what measles is like".
She said: "Children will often get problems such as ear infections and diarrhoea, and your immune system tends to drop as well.
"And so what we often see is secondary bacterial and viral infections, and children may be hospitalised.
"So measles has serious complications and serious unpleasantness.”
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She added: "The focus this morning obviously is on the West Midlands, and I'm going there, but I think the real issue is we need a call to action across the country."
National incident
The UKHSA has now declared the measles outbreak a national incident, allowing it to put more resources into tackling the problem.
In some areas of east London, nearly half of children have not been vaccinated against it.
The vaccine, the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) jab, is delivered in two doses, the first given at 12 months and the second at about three years and four months before children start school.
Dame Jenny said the UK was declared measles-free in 2017 but lost that status in 2018 as a drop in vaccination rates allowed for a resurgence of the virus across Europe.
Dame Jenny said: "Our vaccination rates now have dropped on average to about only 85 per cent of children arriving at school having had the two MMR doses.
“In the West Midlands, in some areas that's down to 81 per cent, (and) if we go down to the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board area, that’s just over 70 per cent.
“So we are well under the recommended coverage for MMR vaccination that the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends (95 per cent coverage).”
London has the lowest percentage of children who have received both doses.
According to data from NHS for the year 2022-23, Hackney in east London at 56 per cent, and Camden in north London at 63 per cent.
Up to 102,000 children in England aged four and five started reception this year without being jabbed, meaning they are at high risk.
Susceptibility to the bug is also high among 19- to 25-year-olds, many of whom missed vaccination due to unfounded worries about the vaccine in the early 2000s.
Many parents, especially in London, did not take their children for the two shots of MMR vaccine at the time due to unfounded concerns raised around side effects.
Dame Jenny added: "With vaccine uptake in some communities so low, there is now a real risk of seeing the virus spread in other towns and cities.
“Immediate action is needed to boost MMR uptake across [these] communities where vaccine uptake is low."
In an effort to boost vaccine uptake, new pop-up clinics are being introduced in parts of the UK, amid fears a rise in cases will spread to other parts of the country.
Unvaccinated children who come into contact with the disease are currently being advised to stay at home for 21 days.
This is because measles is highly contagious.
If one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people around them will also become infected if they are not protected.
'Dozens of deaths'
Dr David Elliman, of Great Ormond Street Hospital, previously warned we could see "dozens of deaths" this winter unless measures are taken.
He said: “As between one in 1,000 to one in 5,000 people getting measles will die, we could see dozens of deaths from an easily preventable disease.
“On top of this would be many more hospital admissions, as we have sadly seen in the Midlands, and people left with long-term problems.”
MMR vaccinations and when to have them
IT'S important that jabs are given on time for the best protection, but if you or your child missed a vaccine, contact your GP to catch up
MMR is part of the NHS Routine Childhood Immunisation Programme.
The first dose is offered at one year, and the second dose at three years and four months.
Parents whose infants missed out, or anyone of any age who has not yet had a vaccine, are urged to come forward.
If you don't know if you or your child isn't up to date with their jabs, call your GP for an appointment.
You can catch up on missed vaccines at any age.
Source: UKHSA
What happens if you catch measles?
The telltale signs of measles include a high fever, a blotchy red or brown rash, sore, red and watery eyes, coughing and sneezing.
It usually clears up on its own after ten days.
But in some cases, it can travel to other parts of the body, like the lungs or brain, and cause serious illness.
Complications include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, seizures, and death.
Babies and young children, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system are more at risk.
It's very unlikely to be measles if you've had both MMR vaccine doses or had measles before.
Those with mild symptoms are asked not to visit their GP or hospital but to call the NHS on 111.
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You should also stay away from nursery, school or work for at least four days from when the rash first appears.
Have you or your family been affected by measles? Email [email protected]
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