Measles Information from Public Health
5th Feb 2024
Dear parents and carers
Measles is now spreading in Sandwell. The best way to protect your children is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
A large outbreak of measles has occurred in Birmingham, and we are now seeing measles cases in Sandwell. The UK Health Security Agency has reported that, during this outbreak, children who have been double vaccinated with MMR have experienced no cases of measles. Therefore, if a child has received both doses, measles is highly unlikely.
Measles spreads easily and spending just 15 minutes in a room with someone with measles will infect 9 out of 10 people around them. It can cause severe complications and permanent disabilities in certain people. The most at risk are people with weak immune systems, infants under 12 months and unimmunised pregnant women.
People with measles (particularly children) can be very poorly and many will attend their GP, urgent care centre and/or A&E. Measles can cause death on rare occasions.
Measles main symptoms include:
- High fever (which increases until rash appears)
- Cough
- A runny nose
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- On around day 4 a rash appears (usually starting on the face/behind ears and then spreads down the body and lasts for around 4 days)
If you think you or someone you know may have measles, please contact your GP or NHS 111 by phone. It is important to inform any health care setting you may have measles before you arrive so you can be isolated on arrival.
Important: how to protect you and your family
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective. Two doses of the vaccine protect you and the NHS offers it for free. Adults and children can be vaccinated at any age if they have not been fully vaccinated before.
Please attend MMR clinics with your children, or you can get a vaccine yourself if you have not previously had the vaccine. You can not get the vaccine if you are pregnant.
Pop-up MMR vaccine clinics are providing the vaccine for children aged 1 year and older, as well as for adults who have missed a dose.The next clinics in Sandwell are:
|
Saturday 10 February 2024 |
Tuesday 13 February 2024 |
Thursday 15 February 2024 |
|
9am-3pm |
9am – 3pm |
9am – 3pm |
|
West Bromwich Central Family Hub Off Claypit Lane West Bromwich, B70 9EZ |
Tesco Cradley Health Fox Oak Street Cradley Health B64 5DF |
Tesco West Bromwich 46 New Square West Bromwich B70 7PR |
Appointments must be booked before attending the clinic (to ensure they are carrying enough vaccine on the day) by calling on 0121 592 1110.
Alternatively, you can contact your local GP practice who will book you in for your MMR vaccination.
Your Sincerely
Liann Brookes-Smith
Interim Director Public Health
Sandwell Metropolitan Council
DPH letter Measles MMR to parents carers LBS 003