Halesowen News

MMR call up for Sandwell tots

1:31pm Thursday 18th March 2010

HEALTH bosses are urging parents to protect their children from deadly diseases after figures revealed that 14 per cent of Sandwell youngsters have not had the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and three per cent have not completed the two-jab course.

The borough’s uptake rate for the first dose of the MMR vaccine is 86 per cent by the age of two and 83 per cent by the age of five.

Children should receive two MMR vaccinations to be fully protected, the first at 13 months old and the second at three years and four months.

They also need to receive two doses of pneumococcal in the first year of life and a booster vaccination after the age of 12 months.

Consultant nurse in health protection for Sandwell Primary Care Trust Michele Lawrence said: “The uptake rate for the MMR and pneumococcal vaccine in Sandwell could be higher.

“In order to protect all children from vaccine preventable diseases, we need to make sure that all children have been offered the vaccine to be fully protected.”

She said many children are vaccinated once, but they fail to return for the all important second vaccination.

“Measles, mumps or rubella carry risks such as viral meningitis, deafness, brain damage and death. The full course of the MMR vaccine protects against these and we would encourage all parents and guardians to get their children protected as soon as possible,” she added.

Parents are urged to contact their GP surgery as soon as possible if their child has not received the MMR or pneumococcal vaccine, or if they are unsure.

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