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Manchester parents urged to vaccinate children

28/05/2008

Parents in Manchester are being urged by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to give their children the MMR vaccines.

Two confirmed cases of the illness in the past month have been reported in Manchester and the HPA believes that around 30 per cent of five year olds could be vulnerable to measles.

It is the first time since 2006 that measles has been reported in Manchester, according to the BBC.

Dr Rosemary McCann, HPA spokesperson, told the broadcaster: "These cases prove that it is vitally important for children to have both doses of MMR.

"We are advising parents that if their child has missed one or both doses of MMR, they should contact their GP, practice nurse, health visitor or school nurse to arrange vaccination."

As well as protecting against measles, the MMR vaccines help defend children from mumps and rubella.

According to the HPA, more than 100 people caught measles in April, up from 40 in the same month last year.