Measles set to spread, warn scientists
Scientists have warned that low take up of the MR vaccine is putting the health of the UK’s children at risk, and that measles has the potential to become widespread once more.
Scientists from Royal Holloway University and the Health Protection Agency, writing in the journal Science, stated that take-up of the MMR vaccine has fallen below the critical level of 85%,
The researchers argue that large-scale outbreaks of the disease could soon be observed in Britain’s towns and cities.
The HPA’s Dr Mary Ramsay told ITV that the patterns of infection were likely to change drastically in coming months.
“At the moment we are seeing small isolated outbreaks in different parts of the country popping up at different times.”
“What we will begin to see is a pattern of larger outbreaks continuously spreading from one area to the next area and eventually around the country,” she said.
Researchers have been warned that measles can be extremely serious, and can even kill in severe cases. Before the introduction of large scale immunisation, the disease killed up to 100 children a year in the UK.
Opponents of the triple MMR vaccine have called once again for single vaccines to be made available on the NHS in order to head off concerns among some parents that the triple jab is linked to autism and bowel disease.
The Government has so far refused to review its policy, and has repeatedly insisted that the MMR jab is safe.
Earlier this year, a proposal was made at the annual conference of the British Medical association that the MMR jab should be made compulsory for all children.
308 confirmed cases of measles were reported in England and Wales last year.
