Parents of children aged 1 to 5 years who appear not to be up-to-date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations will be receiving a letter in the post encouraging them to book an appointment with our practice nurses to vaccinate their children. This is part of a campaign to increase immunisation coverage within our local population and protect the young children in the community.
The MMR vaccine protects against three serious illnesses: measles, mumps, and rubella.
Measles spreads very easily and can be dangerous for children. It can cause serious
problems like pneumonia (lung infection), meningitis (brain infection), blindness, seizures
(fits), and in rare cases, death. Measles can also lead to hearing loss, epilepsy, or even
the need to remove a limb to stop the infection if the child gets meningitis.
There have been many cases of measles in schools in Enfield, Hackney, and Haringey.
A child in Liverpool died from measles in July—they had not been vaccinated. Most
measles cases are in London, so the risk is highest here.
Trusted health organisations like the Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal
College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal College of Nursing, and Royal Society of
Public Health all support childhood vaccines. The NHS offers vaccines to protect against
18 different illnesses. These vaccines have been carefully tested and are very safe.
The decision to vaccinate a children is one for parents. However, parents should also be aware that there is a lot of false information online about vaccines.
If a child does not get all their vaccines, they are more likely to get very sick if they
catch one of these illnesses. We have many nurse appointments available during the
week, including evenings and weekends. Parents can book an appointment to vaccinate their
child or ask any questions they may have. If parents believe their child is up-to-date with all
their vaccinations, they can provide the documentation and we will update their child’s medical records.
To book an appointment, please call our reception team on 01992 761 185.