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Figures released by the Health Protection Agency show an increase in measles cases compared to the previous year.
Dr Helen Bedford, Senior Lecturer in Children’s Health at the Institute of Child Health, said:
“Measles is extremely infectious and can have very serious consequences for people of any age. The improvement in uptake of the MMR vaccine is welcome but many children missed out on the vaccine when they were younger and are at risk of the infection. It is of great concern that the number of cases increased again last year.
“The only way to protect children is to make sure they have two doses of MMR vaccine. A significant body of sound scientific research shows MMR to be highly effective and to have an excellent safety record. There is no question that the benefits of MMR vaccine far outweigh any risks.”
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said:
“We cannot stress too strongly that all children and young people should have the MMR vaccine. Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that the vaccine is safe. Measles can have very serious effects.”