The UK Health Security Agency has urged parents to make sure children are protected from measles before travelling abroad on holiday. Measles is an infection that spreads very easily and can cause serious problems in some people. Having the MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent it.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, the health agency stated: "Planning an autumn or winter getaway? Don't let measles ruin your holiday. Two doses of the #MMR vaccine give you full protection, and you can catch up at your GP practice if you've missed any."
The UKHSA has warned holidaymakers to "make sure" your child is protected from measles. The infection is common in many countries worldwide with outbreaks happening regularly.
It warns that if you child hasn't had two doses of MMR vaccine, they could still be at risk. New data published towards the end of August shows that only 83.7% of children in England had received both doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine by their fifth birthday, a slight fall from the previous year and well below the 95% target.
In Liverpool, there have been 10 cases of measles recorded so far this year. The city's vaccination rate is considerably lower than the national average at just 75.5%.
In England, while children have been away from school, weekly lab-confirmed cases of measles appear to have fallen, although that may be due to reporting delays. As of August 18, there had been 742 lab-confirmed cases of measles this year.
Tragically, it was reported in July that a child had died at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool after contracting measles. So far in England, the majority of cases have been seen in children under the age of 10.
The infection is a highly contagious, serious airborne disease caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and even death. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that the "measles vaccination averted more than 60 million deaths between 2000 and 2023.
Even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available, in 2023, there were an estimated 107,500 measles deaths globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under vaccinated children under the age of 5 years.
Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth. The first symptoms of measles include:
Other symptoms are small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days. A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms. The rash starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
Measles is spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. You're infectious from when you first have symptoms (around four days before the rash appears) until four days after you get the rash.
There are things you can do to reduce the risk of spreading or catching measles. This includes washing your hands, using tissues when coughing or sneezing then throw your tissues in the bin.
The MMR vaccine is offered to all children in the UK. 2 doses can give lifelong protection against measles, mumps, and rubella. Ask at your GP surgery if you're not sure you or your child have had the vaccine.