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More parents reject MMR
by BEEZY MARSH, Daily Mail
http://www.femail.co.uk/pages/standard/article.html?in_article_id=204198&in_page_id=169
record number of parents are shunning the MMR vaccine, heightening
fears that children will be exposed to a major measles epidemic.
In some areas, as many as four in ten children are not having the
triple jab which is at the centre of concerns over a possible link to
autism and bowel disease.
Demand for single jabs is soaring as uptake of MMR has fallen to a new
low of just 58 per cent in parts of London, Health Department figures
reveal.
Look here too...
NEWS: scientists clash over MMR jab
NEWS: 'no evidence to link autism to MMR'
GUIDE: MMR fact file
ADVICE: what our experts say
STORY: MMR: the truth
Experts fear serious outbreaks of measles will strike this winter,
with cases this year already far outstripping those in 2002.
Yesterday, leading clinics providing single vaccinations reported a
flood of calls from anxious parents following a Channel Five drama
about fears surrounding the measles, mumps and rubella jab.
Medical experts and the NHS criticised Hear The Silence, which starred
Juliet Stephenson, as alarmist and inaccurate.
But Sarah Dean, of Direct Health, said: 'We have been inundated with
calls, which is unusual for this time of year.
'We think it may have had something to do with the Channel Five drama.
We think 2004 is going to be our busiest year ever.'
The clinic, which has centres in London, Liverpool, Bristol, Brighton,
Birmingham, Leeds and Darlington, currently gives single jabs to at
least 20,000 children a year.
Kathy Durnford, of single vaccine clinic Healthchoice UK, said: 'The
phone lines have been going ballistic. Parents have been worried about
MMR and the fact that the NHS did not want the drama to be transmitted
has made them even more concerned.'
The Health Department refuses to provide single jabs on the NHS,
saying MMR is the best option for children.
Latest figures from the Department reveal uptake of the combined
vaccine has fallen to just 78 per cent nationally among two-year-olds.
But in Kensington and Chelsea, only 58 per cent of youngsters have the
MMR while in Greenwich the uptake is 59 per cent. In Reading, it is 73
per cent, while in Brighton and Hove the figure has fallen to 70 per
cent.
Doctors say coverage of at least 95 per cent is needed to prevent
outbreaks of measles.
Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency show that cases of
measles in the first nine months of this year stood at 262, compared
to 142 for the same period of 2002.
A spokesman said: 'By the time we have the final figures, it could
well be that measles cases have doubled this year compared to last
year.'
Dr Mary Ramsay, consultant in public health at the HPA, said: 'We are
not seeing evidence of a major epidemic of measles - we don't think we
are going to have one yet.
'But I think we will tend to have more outbreaks, and the size of
those outbreaks may get bigger. We are concerned about low uptake of
MMR, but there may be a question about the accuracy of some of the
data from London.
'We think the picture may not be as bad as it seems but, even so, the
levels of uptake are still too low.'
Yesterday, the Royal College of GPs said it was deeply concerned about
the low uptake. Measles is spread by close contact and tends to thrive
in the winter months. Spokesman Dr George Kassianos said: 'GPs would
like to see 95 per cent coverage with MMR in all communities.
'Once we get that, we can rest. At the moment we are on our guard and
keeping an eye out for measles infections.'
by BEEZY MARSH, Daily Mail
http://www.femail.co.uk/pages/standard/article.html?in_article_id=204198&in_page_id=169
record number of parents are shunning the MMR vaccine, heightening
fears that children will be exposed to a major measles epidemic.
In some areas, as many as four in ten children are not having the
triple jab which is at the centre of concerns over a possible link to
autism and bowel disease.
Demand for single jabs is soaring as uptake of MMR has fallen to a new
low of just 58 per cent in parts of London, Health Department figures
reveal.
Look here too...
NEWS: scientists clash over MMR jab
NEWS: 'no evidence to link autism to MMR'
GUIDE: MMR fact file
ADVICE: what our experts say
STORY: MMR: the truth
Experts fear serious outbreaks of measles will strike this winter,
with cases this year already far outstripping those in 2002.
Yesterday, leading clinics providing single vaccinations reported a
flood of calls from anxious parents following a Channel Five drama
about fears surrounding the measles, mumps and rubella jab.
Medical experts and the NHS criticised Hear The Silence, which starred
Juliet Stephenson, as alarmist and inaccurate.
But Sarah Dean, of Direct Health, said: 'We have been inundated with
calls, which is unusual for this time of year.
'We think it may have had something to do with the Channel Five drama.
We think 2004 is going to be our busiest year ever.'
The clinic, which has centres in London, Liverpool, Bristol, Brighton,
Birmingham, Leeds and Darlington, currently gives single jabs to at
least 20,000 children a year.
Kathy Durnford, of single vaccine clinic Healthchoice UK, said: 'The
phone lines have been going ballistic. Parents have been worried about
MMR and the fact that the NHS did not want the drama to be transmitted
has made them even more concerned.'
The Health Department refuses to provide single jabs on the NHS,
saying MMR is the best option for children.
Latest figures from the Department reveal uptake of the combined
vaccine has fallen to just 78 per cent nationally among two-year-olds.
But in Kensington and Chelsea, only 58 per cent of youngsters have the
MMR while in Greenwich the uptake is 59 per cent. In Reading, it is 73
per cent, while in Brighton and Hove the figure has fallen to 70 per
cent.
Doctors say coverage of at least 95 per cent is needed to prevent
outbreaks of measles.
Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency show that cases of
measles in the first nine months of this year stood at 262, compared
to 142 for the same period of 2002.
A spokesman said: 'By the time we have the final figures, it could
well be that measles cases have doubled this year compared to last
year.'
Dr Mary Ramsay, consultant in public health at the HPA, said: 'We are
not seeing evidence of a major epidemic of measles - we don't think we
are going to have one yet.
'But I think we will tend to have more outbreaks, and the size of
those outbreaks may get bigger. We are concerned about low uptake of
MMR, but there may be a question about the accuracy of some of the
data from London.
'We think the picture may not be as bad as it seems but, even so, the
levels of uptake are still too low.'
Yesterday, the Royal College of GPs said it was deeply concerned about
the low uptake. Measles is spread by close contact and tends to thrive
in the winter months. Spokesman Dr George Kassianos said: 'GPs would
like to see 95 per cent coverage with MMR in all communities.
'Once we get that, we can rest. At the moment we are on our guard and
keeping an eye out for measles infections.'