Parents' trust in MMR jab may have halted measles epidemic crisis

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Parents' trust in MMR jab may have halted measles epidemic crisis

Date: 12/27/02; Publication: Birmingham Post; Author: Sophie Blakemore

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<http://ask.elibrary.com/images/shim.gif> Birmingham Post

<http://ask.elibrary.com/pubminis/Birmingham_Post.gif> Increased confidence

in the MMR vaccine may mean parents have prevented a measles epidemic in the

Midlands, according to experts.

Health officials in Sandwell said that there has been renewed trust in the

triple measles, mumps and rubella jab.

But they have warned parents who have not had their children immunised to do

so in the New Year to avoid an outbreak.

Dr Iain Blair, consultant in communicable disease control for Sandwell' s

Primary Care Trusts, said the uptake of the MMR inoculation had reached 88

per cent this year - up more than five per cent on last year.

Numbers dropped to a low of 82.6 per cent uptake last year following

controversial revelations that the triple vaccine could be linked to autism

in children.

However, many parents across the UK remain convinced that their children

developed autism as a result of the vaccine.

And many families in Birmingham have been paying private clinics to

administer the three vaccines separately.

'While this means we are unlikely to get a major outbreak in the local area

people should remain aware that there have been measles outbreaks in South

London and Italy this year,' said Dr Blair.

'Children travelling abroad could pick up the disease. Parents who have

ignored or missed the invitation to have their children immunised should

make a resolution to see their doctor in January.'

Dr Blair added that the latest study ofMMR in Denmark published last month

showed there was no scientific evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine

and autism.

'The fact is that MMR vaccine is extremely safe and has saved millions of

lives during the last 26 years.

'For the sake of the health of all in Sandwell, parents should make sure

their children are vaccinated and protected from these dangerous and

infectious diseases,' he added.

Since MMR was introduced in the UK in 1988, the number of children catching

these diseases has dropped to an all-time low.

The measles vaccine prevents death and complications which can be related to

the disease.

Mumps was the biggest cause of viral meningitis in children before the

introduction of the inoculation. The rubella vaccine prevents babies being

damaged if their mother catches the disease when pregnant.

Sophie Blakemore, Parents' trust in MMR jab may have halted measles epidemic

crisis. , Birmingham Post, 12-27-2002, pp 3.