Northern Ireland

Concern about impact of Covid 'anti-vax' movement on uptake of childhood jab to protect against measles

Almost one in five children in the Belfast trust have not had their second MMR jab to protect against measles
Almost one in five children in the Belfast trust have not had their second MMR jab to protect against measles Almost one in five children in the Belfast trust have not had their second MMR jab to protect against measles

ALMOST one in five children in the Belfast trust have not have their second MMR jab - sparking fears about their risk of contracting deadly measles.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging parents to get their children vaccinated with a leading doctor warning that "vaccine misinformation" during the Covid-19 pandemic could impact on vital childhood immunisation programmes.

The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination was first introduced in 1998 and is delivered to in separate doses to children at age two and age five.

Measles is a highly contagious disease and can be fatal or cause brain damage.

Earlier this week, health officials in England said latest MMR take-up figures were "very worrying", with rates falling to their lowest in a decade

While Northern Ireland has consistently recorded the highest uptake in the NHS, a steady drop in numbers have occurred over the past four years.

Latest PHA figures show uptake for the first dose sits at 95.4 per cent (July-September 2021) but only 89.1 per cent of five-year-olds have had the recommended two doses.

In Belfast, figures are significantly lower than the north's four other health trust areas - at 92.1 per cent for the first dose and just 80.6 per cent for the second jab.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says 95 per cent of children need to be vaccinated to keep measles away.

Dr Jillian Johnston, PHA interim assistant director in health protection, expressed concerns that the impact of the pandemic could lead to further decline in take-up for the life-saving jab.

“Vaccine coverage varies throughout Northern Ireland, with Belfast Trust figures sitting below the average... This may be due to many factors including misinformation around the MMR vaccine leading to hesitancy, a lack of awareness of the risks measles can pose to children, socio-economic factors and perceived limited access to services during Covid," she said.

"It is possible that during the pandemic some parents may have been cautious about going to their GPs, not wanting to burden them or they did not realise they were still offering routine immunisations.

"If your child has missed a vaccination, please contact your GP practice to book an appointment as soon as you can to make sure they have maximum protection against disease."

With the rise in the anti-vax movement during the pandemic, Dr Johnston added:

"The other concern is that the misinformation that has been spread about the Covid vaccine may have impacted the childhood immunisation programme.

"Like all vaccines approved for use in the UK, the MMR vaccine has gone through several stages of lab tests and clinical trials ensuring it is safe and effective.

"It’s important to be informed about all vaccines, but there is lots of misinformation out there. Make sure your facts come from a reliable source, like the PHA, your own GP or health visitor."