This in from the council, in their own words, Ed
Letters have been sent to parents via schools to remind them of the importance of getting their children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella.
The Island’s Public Health team in partnership with Public Health England has sent a letter to all parents. This is in light of the recent outbreak of measles in South Wales, it reminds parents of the importance of ensuring their children are vaccinated with MMR to protect from the dangers of measles which can spread easily between people and in some cases cause serious infection and death.
No cases on the Island
Although there have been no measles cases on the Isle of Wight, the Island’s Public Health team is urging parents to get there children vaccinated to help prevent an outbreak in our area. This advice also extends to older teenagers who may have missed the MMR jab when they were younger.
Dr Jenifer Smith, director of public health, said:
“The only way to prevent measles outbreaks is to make sure there is good uptake of the MMR vaccine across all ages. Therefore parents should ensure their children are fully protected against measles, mumps and rubella with two doses of the MMR vaccine.
“If parents are in any doubt as to whether their children have been vaccinated – or only in part – then they should also contact their GP who will have the necessary records.”
More information about the measles outbreak can be found online.
Image: Dave Haygarth under CC BY 2.0
