MMR vaccine uptake in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon region is below target

As measles cases increase in the UK and Europe, the HSE is advising that children who are not fully protected against measles should get the MMR vaccine prior to the mid-term break.

The warning comes after an adult with a confirmed case of measles died in the Dublin and Midlands Health Region. It is the first confirmed measles case notified in Ireland this year, the HSE said.

The outbreaks of measles in the UK and many other European countries are due to low MMR vaccination rates. UK health authorities and the WHO are concerned about further measles outbreaks.

MMR uptake in Ireland is suboptimal and less than the 95 percent target set by the WHO. Nationally, uptake has declined to below 90 percent since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic (early 2020). In the Galway, Mayo and Roscommon region uptake is below target at 92.9 percent percent (Q2 2023).

Dr Anthony Breslin, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, offers this advice: “Many families will be traveling during the mid-term break and at Easter too. Due to the increase in measles cases in the UK and Europe, unvaccinated children are susceptible to measles infection if they travel or if they meet with visitors to Ireland.

“Unfortunately the uptake of the MMR vaccine has fallen in recent years in Ireland meaning that many people can become infected with measles. MMR vaccine is not only safe but also very effective in preventing measles.”

A highly effective vaccine, MMR, can prevent measles in over 90 percent of immunised children, following a single dose of the vaccine. With the second dose of MMR vaccine, over 99 percent of immunised children are protected from measles infection. MMR vaccination is the best way to protect people from measles.

Two doses are recommended to be considered fully vaccinated. The first dose is recommended when your child is 12 months of age, the second dose is due when your child is in junior infants. Parents are encouraged to check that their children’s vaccines are up-to-date. If any child has missed this vaccine they should get it now from their GP. For more information visit the HSE Website https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/measles/

Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications, particularly in children aged under one, pregnant women and those who are immunosuppressed.

The signs and symptoms include:

• Cold-like symptoms such as aches and pains, a runny nose, sneezing and a cough

• Sore red eyes that may be sensitive to light

• A temperature of 38C or above, which may reach around 40C

• Small greyish-white spots in the mouth

• Loss of appetite

• Tiredness, irritability and a general lack of energy

• Rash, which usually appears two to four days after the first symptoms on head and neck first, and spreads to the rest of the body