Latest news with #MMRvaccine
Telegraph
a day ago
- General
- Telegraph
Warning over measles risk during school holidays
Parents are being urged to make sure their children are vaccinated against measles ahead of the summer holidays as an outbreak continues to spread across the UK. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world, but two doses of the MMR vaccine during childhood can offer lifelong protection. However, uptake of the vaccine is below recommended levels, and cases have been rising in the UK. Young children have the first dose when they are one year old and the second between three years and four months and five years of age. There have been 420 cases in England so far this year, with 86 last month, figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reveal. Two thirds of the cases were in children under 10, and almost 40 per cent were in London. The capital has the lowest vaccination percentage in the country, with more than a quarter of the population going without full protection. Officials are concerned that the infection, which can lead to serious complications, spreads easily through the air via sneezes, coughs and exhalations. They said it could see an uptick when schools break up for the summer and children mingle during the holidays. Measles has an estimated 'R' number of around 18, which means that on average a single infected person passes the infection on to 18 others. Covid has a natural 'R' number of about three. Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: 'It's essential that everyone, particularly parents of young children, check all family members are up to date with two MMR doses, especially if you are travelling this summer for holidays or visiting family. 'Measles cases are picking up again in England, and outbreaks are happening in Europe and many countries with close links to the UK. 'Measles spreads very easily and can be a nasty disease, leading to complications like ear and chest infections and inflammation of the brain, with some children tragically ending up in hospital and suffering life-long consequences. Nobody wants this for their child, and it's not something you want to experience when away on holiday.' People who have the two doses of the MMR vaccine, which are safe and effective, are not only protecting themselves but also helping protect others who are unvaccinated, such as young babies. Health officials said parents could check their child's 'red book', a national record given to parents or carers at birth to document a child's health and development, to see if they are fully protected. Adults can also check their own vaccination status by contacting their GP or checking in the NHS app, although not everyone's complete immunisation data is live on the app. The UKHSA said that cases in Europe had reached their highest level in almost three decades last year. A global increase in measles has led the agency to say it is concerned that this could mean people bring back the contagious disease to England after travelling over the summer. There were more than 127,000 cases of measles in Europe last year, according to global health leaders, the highest number since 1997. So far this year, outbreaks have been documented in France, Italy, Spain and Germany. Romania, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Nigeria currently have among the largest number of measles cases worldwide, according to a recent report by the World Health Organisation. Dr Amanda Doyle, the national director for primary care and community services at NHS England, said: 'The recent increase in cases seen in England and Europe should act as an important reminder to ensure your child is protected. 'Too many babies and young children are still not protected against the diseases, which are contagious infections that spread very easily and can cause serious health problems. 'MMR jabs are provided free as part of the NHS routine immunisation programme, and I would encourage all parents to act on invites or check vaccination records if they think they may have missed their child's vaccination.'
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Number of measles cases in Manitoba climbs to 72
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins Manitoba is reporting a dozen more cases of measles in the province, as a new report shows that most Manitobans have some confidence the government can handle an outbreak. Provincial data as of May 24, 2025, shows there have been 72 confirmed cases of measles since February – an increase of 12 cases since the previous update on May 17. The numbers also show there were 53 confirmed cases in May alone. As for exposure locations, the province is citing McPhillips Medical Clinic on May 25 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and the Henderson Highway Dynacare on May 26 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The full list of exposure sites can be found online. According to the government, measles is a highly contagious disease characterized by a blotchy, red rash. Measles spreads through personal contact with an infected individual and through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. New survey shows many Manitobans confident in government A new survey out of the Angus Reid Institute shows nearly 70 per cent of Manitobans have some confidence the provincial government could handle a measles outbreak, while 21 per cent have no confidence at all. In terms of Canadians thoughts on measles and its severity, more than 80 per cent of survey respondents disagreed with the statement that 'measles isn't as bad as people think it is.' However, 10 per cent of those surveyed agreed with the sentiment. The survey also found that nearly 70 per cent of Canadians think vaccinations should be mandatory for a child to attend daycare or school, while 91 per cent of the country believes vaccines are effective for the individual being vaccinated. For the survey, Angus Reid conducted an online poll from May 20 to 23 among a sample of 1,685 Canadian adults. A probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of plus/minus two percentages points, 19 times out of 20. The entire survey is available online.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. Spews Wild Anti-Vax Theories As Measles Cases Surge
As measles cases surge past quadruple digits for the first time in three decades, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been defending religious vaccine refusal and spreading pseudoscience on Fox News. 'The MMR vaccine that we currently use has millions of particles that were created from aborted fetal tissue, millions of DNA fragments,' RFK Jr. told Fox News host Bret Baier in a report aired on Thursday. It's a wildly misleading statement. The rubella component of the MMR vaccine is grown in a lab-cultured cell line originally derived from fetal tissue in the 1960s, but no actual tissue cells are present in the vaccine. Trace DNA fragments are non-functional and regulated to be safe. As of May 8, the CDC confirmed a total of 1,001 measles cases have already been detected in 2025, a sharp increase from the 285 reported in all of 2024. So far, three people have died from the disease. Framing the debate as one of personal freedom and religious persecution, Kennedy said that people refusing the vaccine on moral grounds were being 'treated like lepers' and deserved more 'compassion' in hospital settings. 'Even in 1963, before the introduction of the vaccine, there were 400 deaths a year and there were up to 2 million measles cases,' Kennedy said. 'Only very, very sick kids should die from measles.' Baier clarified that the MMR vaccine doesn't contain fetal cells, to which Kennedy asserted that the presence of DNA fragments justifies the religious objection. 'I might not share those objections, [but] I respect them,' he said. Kennedy admitted that the measles outbreak in Texas, which has now spread to 30 other states, has largely been among the Mennonite community, and that the virus will spread through an unvaccinated population. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on Earth, with a 90 percent infection rate among unvaccinated people. Herd immunity for the disease requires roughly 95 percent vaccination coverage, something America slipped below in 2021. This makes outbreaks more likely and potentially uncontrollable if they begin to circulate in wider, unvaccinated populations. RFK Jr. has previously come under fire for suggesting it would be better if 'everybody got measles,' arguing that infection provides lifetime coverage in a way the vaccine does not. However, an MMR vaccine, which is 97 percent effective for life, does not come with possible side effects of pneumonia, encephalitis, or death, unlike a measles infection.
Washington Post
11-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
Unpacking RFK Jr.'s ‘doublespeak' on vaccines
Early last month, after two Texas children had died of measles, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged that the MMR vaccine prevents the spread of that virus. But later that day, he posted photos of himself with anti-vaccine doctors, calling them 'extraordinary healers' and promoting unproven treatments.
