Millions of parents and carers in England are being urged to book their children in for their missed measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to protect children from becoming seriously unwell, as measles cases continue to rise across the country.
You can find out more about measles and the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine on the NHS Website:
Babies and pre-school children receive their immunisations through their GP surgery.
Parents/Carers of older children who may have missed their MMR vaccines should contact their GP surgery or our school-aged immunisation service who can give the vaccine in school or at community-based clinics across Surrey.
Anyone can catch up at any age on any missed MMR vaccines and it’s never too late to protect yourself.
- Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases. One person infected by measles can infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts.
- The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours. It can be transmitted by an infected person from four days prior to the onset of the rash to four days after the rash erupts.
- Unvaccinated children are at the highest risk of measles and its complications.
Visit the NHS website (vaccination tips for parents) and the UK Health Security Agency website for more information.
For advice on what to do if you think your child has measles and when to keep them off school, visit the Gov.uk website (The Education Hub).