Vaccines are vital!

30th June 2020

Health experts are encouraging parents to take up routine vaccinations for their children amid concerns that fears over Coronavirus are keeping them away.

Despite the pandemic, the national immunisation programme remains in place and it is there to protect us from the devastating impact of diseases such as measles, meningitis and pneumonia.

Immunisation is one of the most powerful tools we have against these potentially deadly but preventable diseases and the disruption caused by the pandemic threatens to unwind decades of progress.

In the wake of this, the Meningitis Research Foundation has launched its Vaccines Are Vital campaign and is urging everyone to get behind it.

Babies and young children in the UK are routinely given a series of vaccinations to from 8 weeks old to just over 3 years old to protect them from a range of diseases like polio, meningitis, tetanus and whooping cough.

Just before they start school, young children also have a number of booster shots to help protect them. When youngsters, who haven’t been fully immunised, start mixing with other children at school the risk of them picking up a virus is greatly increased.

Children get the best protection against measles, mumps and rubella by having two doses of the combined MMR vaccine, which they can get from their GP or practice nurse.

In the case of measles, to be fully immunised, children should have a jab around their first birthday and a second jab before starting school at around four years old.

Stockport was measles free for five years, thanks to a highly successful immunisation programme, but since 2010 the disease has crept back into the community. Immunisation is the safest and most effective way to protect against measles.

But it’s not just the parents of young children who need to check whether they are up to date with all their immunisations.

All children aged 12 and 13 will be offered the HPV vaccine and for teenagers aged 14 a meningitis vaccination and a booster jab against polio, diphtheria and tetanus.

This winter the flu immunisation programme will see even more children included in those who are routinely offered vaccination.

If you’re not sure whether your child has had all its routine vaccinations, ask your GP or practice nurse to find out for you. It may be possible to ‘catch up’ later in life.

Remember when you take your loved ones to get vaccinated, you are not only providing lifesaving protection to them – you are also contributing to greater protection for your entire community.

Save lives. Vaccinate!