Holidaying families urged to ensure children are not at risk from measles

Leeds health chiefs are advising parents travelling during school holidays are being advised to check children are protected against measles amid a global rise in cases.

- by Dennis Morton

With the start of the school holidays, parents and carers in Leeds are being urged to ensure their children have an up-to-date Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, as measles cases rise nationally and internationally.

The uptake of routine childhood vaccinations has been decreasing over the last 10 years, with similar trends observed in West Yorkshire.

Health chiefs are concerned that low MMR vaccination rates could lead to further cases emerging, particularly given the high numbers of people mixing and travelling during the holidays.

Measles is a serious disease which can spread easily among unvaccinated people.

Babies, children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk.