Health officials warn of ‘serious' virus ‘twice as contagious as a cold' – good hygiene isn't enough to slow the spread

The Sun

6 days ago

HEALTH officials in the UK have warned of a virus "nearly twice as contagious" as the common cold and "far more serious" amid ongoing outbreaks.
Getting vaccinated can help people avoid catching and spreading it, they add.
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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging Brits to catch up on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as fears grow over the spread of measles.
Earlier this month, a child who was ill with measles, as well as other health problems, died at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.
It was the first measles death in the UK in nearly a decade, since 2006.
In a statement, the hospital said it was "concerned about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting measles".
It added it had treated 17 children for effects and complications of measles since June.
It's not known whether the child who died had received the MMR vaccine, but the jab has been found to be 97 per cent effective against measles and rubella after two doses.
The UKHSA has issued a reminder to those who have missed one or both doses of the MMR vaccine to contact their GP to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
In a post on X, it warned: "Think the common cold spreads fast? Measles is nearly twice as contagious, and far more serious.
"Unlike a common cold, simple hygiene measures aren't enough to slow its spread.
"The MMR vaccine is your best protection."
It also posted a GIF which read: "Measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world. It can be passed very easily from person to person.
"The 'R number' for measles is 15. This means that one person with measles would infect 15 others.
"Compared to five other key respiratory infections (R number): 1st Measles - R15; 2nd Common Cold - R8; 3rd Mumps - R7; 4th Norovirus - R4; 5th Covid-19 - R3; 6th Influenza - R1.7.
"The MMR vaccine is the best and safest way to avoid catching and spreading measles.
"When most people are protected by vaccination, it's harder for the disease to spread. If you or your child missed one or both doses of the MMR, contact your GP practice to arrange your free vaccination."
Cases of measles have been rising in the UK and around the world, with more than 500 reported since January in England alone.
The majority of cases have been reported in children aged 10 and under, but young people and adults have also been diagnosed with the virus.
A rise in cases has been attribute to a fall in vaccine uptake.
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.
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The main symptoms of measles
MEASLES is highly contagious and can cause serious problems in some people.
The infection usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later.
The first signs include:
A high temperature
A runny or blocked nose
Sneezing
A cough
Red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may then appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips.
A rash tends to come next. This usually starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The spots are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They are not normally itchy.
The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on darker skin.
Complications are rare, but measles can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, seizures, and sometimes death.
Source: NHS
The best way to avoid spreading or catching measles, according to the NHS, is to washing your hands often with soap and warm water, use tissues when you cough or sneeze, and to throw used tissues in the bin,.
You should also avoid sharing cutlery, cups, towels, clothes, or bedding.
Latest figures reveal MMR vaccination rates in England have fallen below the recommended 95 per cent threshold for both the first and second doses.
The threshold needs to be met to achieve herd immunity, says the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Getting the vaccine not only protect yourself against three serious infections, but helps to protect others who can't have the vaccine.
This includes unborn babies, infants who are too young to have the vaccine and children or adults who can't have the vaccine because they have weakened immune systems.
The UKHSA advises: "This will help to prevent large outbreaks of disease.
"You should also have the vaccine if you work with young children or care for people as part of your work."
Expert answers MMR questions
TO help deal with parental concerns, Professor Helen Bedford, a specialist in child public health at University College London, tells you all you need to know about the MMR vaccine.
When is the vaccine given?
The MMR vaccine is part of the NHS Routine Childhood Immunisation ­Programme.
It's typically given via a single shot into the muscle of the thigh or the upper arm.
The first dose is offered to children at the age of one (babies younger than this may have some protection from antibodies passed on from their mother, which start to wear off at about 12 months.)
The second dose is then offered to children aged three years and four months before they start school.
To check to see if you or your child have had the recommended two doses of MMR, you can look at their/your Personal Child Health Record, also known as the red book.
If you can't find the red book, call your GP and ask them for your vaccine records.
You are never too old to catch up with your MMR vaccine.
If you see from your vaccination records that you did not receive two doses as a child, you can book a vaccination appointment.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective at preventing measles, mumps and rubella.
In the UK, we started using the jab in 1988, so we have decades of ­experience using it.
The jab is made from much-weakened live versions of the three viruses.
This triggers the immune system to produce antibodies that are protective in the face of future exposure.
It takes up to three weeks after having the ­vaccine to be fully protected.
Like any vaccine, the MMR jab can cause side-effects, which are usually mild and go away very quickly.
This includes rash, high temperature, loss of appetite and a general feeling of being unwell for about two or three days.
There is also a very small chance children can have a severe allergic reaction.
But compared to the complications of measles, there is no contest that vaccination is by far the safest and most effective route to take.
Why was it linked with autism?
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a now-discredited paper in medical journal The Lancet.
The paper suggested that the MMR vaccine might be associated with autism and a form of bowel disease.
It led to a sharp decline in vaccination rates.
Even at the time, the research was considered poor.
The Lancet retracted the story in 2010 after ­Wakefield's article was found 'dishonest' by the General Medical Council.
He was later struck off and subsequently, in 2011, the British Medical Journal declared the story fraudulent.
Does it contain ingredients from pigs?
There are two types of MMR jabs: One with gelatin (animal/pig collagen), and one without it.
For some religious groups, the inclusion of pig products is not ­acceptable.
Those people should ask for the vaccine without gelatin.