The number of people getting measles in the West Midlands region has been rising. It is an unpleasant disease that spreads very quickly and can make some people very ill.
While we had no cases in Worcestershire during February, alongside good vaccination rates, we wanted to make sure we supported people to reduce their risk of getting measles. Being vaccinated provides the best protection.
We hosted free pop-up clinics in libraries across the county throughout February, organised with our local NHS colleagues. Across the six locations (Kidderminster, Wythall, Redditch, Evesham, Malvern and Worcester City), 144 people attended to be vaccinated, as well as others who attended with their child’s personal health record (known as their Red Book) to check if they had already been vaccinated.
Lisa McNally, Director of Public Health in Worcestershire, said: “We’re really pleased to be working alongside our NHS colleagues to make sure as many people as possible have the option to be vaccinated against Measles.
We’re really proud that our vaccination rates are so high in Worcestershire, one of the highest uptake rates in the West Midlands, with over 90% of children being vaccinated with two doses by the time they are 5 years old. To give the best protection to everyone, we need our MMR vaccination rates to be even higher.
There are around 4,000 primary school-aged children in Worcestershire, who haven’t had their MMR vaccination, and could be at risk of getting this serious illness. It’s never too late to catch up.”
To see if your child is up to date with their MMR vaccines, check your child’s personal child health record (PCHR), known as the red book, or contact your GP practice. If anyone has missed one or both doses of the MMR vaccine, contact your GP practice to book an appointment.