LONDON: Children who have not been vaccinated against measles may have to enter isolation for 21 days if a classmate becomes infected.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) predicts the capital alone could see 160,000 cases occur as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates are at the lowest in a decade.
Both Haringey Council and Barnet Council have communicated with parents, informing them that unvaccinated children who come into close contact with a measles case may be requested to self-isolate for up to 21 days.
Recent statistics from NHS England indicate that over 102,000 four and five-year-old children starting school reception across the country lack protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.
In London alone, 32,000 children remain unvaccinated, according to NHS England, and only three-quarters of the capital’s children have received the two necessary doses of the MMR vaccine, which guards against measles—10 percent lower than the national average.
Measles is highly contagious, with one in five cases necessitating hospitalization and one in 15 cases leading to complications like meningitis and sepsis, as reported by NHS England.
Dr. Oge Ilozue, a general practitioner and senior clinical adviser for the NHS London vaccination program, explained, “Measles can initially manifest as cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, sneezing, and a cough, with the characteristic rash appearing after the individual has already been contagious for up to four days. Detecting a measles infection in a classroom setting may not be straightforward, and before the appearance of the rash, they could have infected nine out of ten of their unvaccinated classmates.”
The MMR vaccine is administered to children at approximately one year of age and then again at around three years and four months, just in time for the start of the school year.
Two doses of this vaccine provide lifelong protection against severe illness from mumps, measles, and rubella. Individuals who have missed any of the vaccinations have the opportunity to catch up at any time.”
