PARENTS in south Warwickshire are being urged to catch up on life-saving vaccinations for their children.
They are being reminded of the importance of vaccinations ahead of European Immunisation Week, which runs from April 24 to 30.
NHS South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is calling for parents of children overdue an immunisation to contact their GP practice to arrange a life-saving jab.
In south Warwickshire uptake for the measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine was just under 93 per cent. The World Health Organization’s target for MMR vaccination is 95 per cent.
Dr David Spraggett, chair of NHS South Warwickshire CCG, said: “Vaccination prevents disease, protects life and is a strong foundation for life-long health and well-being. So, we are supporting European Immunisation Week to emphasise the importance of the vaccinations that are offered to all children registered at our GP practices.
“Childhood immunisations are free and are used to protect children from diseases which can be very serious causing long-term complications and even death. It’s important to have vaccinations at the right age to keep the risk of disease as low as possible. Some immunisations are given more than once to make sure the protection continues. This is known as a booster, so it’s vital that parents ensure that their child gets it when it is needed.
“Immunisation begins at two months, when a baby’s natural immunity to illness begins to drop. The protection immunisations offered to children against serious diseases are worth the small amount of pain. Immunisations don’t just protect children during childhood, they protect them for life.”
GPs in years gone by would commonly deal with infections in babies and young children – diphtheria, polio, and whooping cough – that could lead to lasting disability and even death.
Thanks to the immunisation programmes of recent decades, such illnesses are now either very rare, or extinct. The whole of Europe was declared polio-free in 2002.
More recently, newer vaccines have become available for children – who are now vaccinated against viruses that cause diarrhoea and sickness, and against some of the bacteria that can cause meningitis.
Visit https://bit.ly/2FQNkrw for information about immunisations.
