‘We urge all parents of all children who are of an eligible age to have them vaccinated’, College comments on measles outbreak

College Chair Kamila Hawthorne responds to the tragic death of a child in Liverpool and growing concern of a potential measles outbreak in England.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “We're shocked and saddened by this tragedy and send our deepest condolences to the family. We urge all parents of all children who are of an eligible age to have them vaccinated. We cannot stress enough how dangerous measles can be. As we have seen from this terrible case, the disease can be life-threatening, even fatal, or can result in life-changing health complications, particularly for children, pregnant women, the elderly and those who are chronically ill.

“The Childhood Vaccination Programme is one of the great successes of the NHS, but the MMR vaccine – which has been proven safe and effective at giving lifelong protection from the disease - can only work to reduce transmission of these viruses in communities, if enough people have it. In 2017, the UK achieved measles elimination status, but unfortunately, this has been reversed in part by a lack of vaccination take up.

“We need to restore momentum to the MMR programme and fight against vaccine complacency and hesitancy. This tragic case and the wider risk of a potential outbreak are really concerning, and we would urge all parents to check their children's vaccinations are up to date, and if they're not, to make an appointment as soon as possible. While an appointment can be booked at any time, the summer holidays may be a good opportunity for many parents, before their children start school or nursery for the first time, or head back for a new school year as mixing with lots of new people can often lead to disease outbreaks, and vaccination will be the best protection.

“We know that some patients do face practical barriers in getting their children vaccinated and, where possible, these need to be broken down. By ensuring there is sufficient funding for vital vaccine services would be an important step, and this should extend to general practice which plays a crucial role in vaccine delivery. If parents have any reservations about the safety of vaccinations, they can ask their GP, or any member of their clinical practice team.

"If you notice symptoms of measles - such as cold and flu symptoms combined with a temperature and a rash that starts behind the ears and spreads to the face and the rest of the body - either in yourself or your children, it's important to seek medical advice."

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.