Rotherham parents urged to make sure kids get measles jab

Rotherham’s Public Health Team has insisted that there is no serious issue with the disease in the town.

A spokesman said: “In the past 12 months, measles cases have in Rotherham have remained stable and low with only one case reported in 2012 and no cases reported during the first quarter of 2013.

“However vaccination figures reported by some practices in Rotherham at the end of August 2012 suggested that vaccine coverage among five- to 18-year olds for those receiving  two doses of MMR vaccine was only approximately 87 per cent, leaving a large number of individuals susceptible to this infection.

“We are therefore urging all parents to ensure their children, regardless of age, to are fully covered and protected against this highly infectious and potentially serious infection.”

Measles is an unpleasant illness which starts with a few days of cold-like symptoms and is then followed by a rash accompanied by high fever, red eyes and a cough.

It can be particularly severe in babies under the age of one year (before they receive their routine first dose of MMR immunisation), teenagers and older people, especially those who have a weakened immune system.

In these groups, measles can cause complications including pneumonia, ear infections, diarrhoea and swelling of the brain.

The spokesman added: “Around one in every ten children who get measles are admitted to hospital and in rare cases it can be fatal.

“Measles in pregnant women can also be very serious and threaten the pregnancy.”

If anyone has any concerns about measles, they are advised either to contact NHS Direct on 111 or make an urgent appointment with their GP for a home visit, if you think you or your child has measles you should not visit your surgery or NHS Walk-In Center.