‘We must do all we can to halt this threat’ (From Northwich Guardian)

Mass measles immunisation begins

4:20pm Wednesday 10th December 2008 in News By Hayley Collins

A MASS immunisation programme began in Northwich last week in an attempt to halt a measles outbreak.

A team of nurses visited Weaverham High School on Wednesday as part of a scheme to vaccinate 10,500 children across the county with the controversial MMR jab.

Hugh Lamont, from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), said the immunisation programme was going well.

“The response has been good from parents and most of them are returning the consent forms,” he said.

“But for those who haven’t it’s not too late – they can even bring the consent forms along on the day. People who are leaving it to the last minute will still get vaccinated.”

Northwich has now had three reported cases of the potentially fatal virus, one of which has been confirmed by laboratory tests.

The response has been good from parents and most of them are returning the consent forms.

Hugh Lamont, from the Health Protection Agency

Nurses from Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT are currently visiting 177 primary school and 33 high schools across the county and are urging parents to allow their children to be immunised.

Dr Rosemary McCann, from the HPA, added: “Britain is on the cusp of a measles epidemic because a large cohort of children and teenagers missed out on MMR vaccination over the past five to 10 years and measles is now spreading amongst them.

“We must do all we can to halt this threat by encouraging the parents and guardians of unprotected children to arrange for vaccination.”

There are now 77 reported cases of the virus in the county, with 16 in Winsford and 18 in Middlewich.

The vaccination programme is expected to be completed by next Wednesday, but parents whose children have missed the jab should contact their doctors to arrange to be immunised.