Bristol City Council Urges Parents to Check MMR Vaccinations Before School Year Starts

Bristol City Council Warns Parents of School Starters to Check MMR Records:

Bristol City Council has waded into the current measles epidemic by urging parents in the city to make sure their children have had two doses of MMR before starting school.

The country is facing a huge rise in the number of measles cases spreading around the country with a ‘widespread outbreak’ in Bristol. Bristol has had 86 laboratory confirmed cases of measles since the beginning of the year with an additional 20 cases ‘probable’.

Having the MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella with children receiving the first vaccine within a month of their first birthday and just before starting school at age 3 years and 4 months.

According to Consultant in Communicable Disease Control for Public Health England South West, Dominic Mellon, a catch up vaccine can easily be arranged through the GP if a child has missed out. Measles is ‘really unpleasant’ he warns, though it often starts with typical ‘cold like’ symptoms such as a high temperature or a runny nose. In just a few days, a distinctive rash will appear and children should stay away from school and the public to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

“Unfortunately, we know that the school environment provides a perfect place for infections to circulate and spread,” he says. “This is why we are asking parents to add the MMR vaccine to their back to school lists.”

“If your child catches measles, apart from feeling very unwell they will also miss out on several days at school. We know life can get busy with children. If you can’t remember, just contact your GP who will be able to check your child’s records.”

It takes up to ten days after a person has been infected for the first cold like symptoms to start. If you suspect your child is developing measles, look out for a red-brown blotchy rash which usually starts on the head or upper neck before spreading across the rest of the body. After this, measles starts to resolve in around 7-10 days.

For more information about measles, visit: https: www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles

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