PARENTS in Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, or St Helens can help prevent further spreading of measles in the region by taking advantage of summer ‘catch up’ immunisation clinics for children and young people.

Run by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, the clinics aim to take advantage of the extra time provided by the summer holidays to reach any children who have missed any routine immunisations, including HPV, teenage boosters, meningitis ACWY, and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella).

The clinics are helping the region to combat the recent rise of measles cases across the country, with NHS Cheshire and Merseyside encouraging everyone to check they and their children have had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.

Jenny Hurst, Mersey Care’s Chief Nurse, said:- “Our summer catch-up clinics are the ideal time to make sure your children have the necessary protection against viruses to keep them safe and healthy. We know there is a rise in measles cases across the UK, which is 1 of the world’s most infectious diseases, so please take advantage of our summer clinics and get your children vaccinated as soon as possible.”

Measles symptoms include signs of a high fever, sore, red, watery eyes, coughing, aching, feeling generally unwell and a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms.

Anyone with symptoms is advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice, rather than visiting the surgery or A&E, to prevent the illness spreading further. 

If your child comes into contact with an infection and they have had their vaccines, your child’s body will recognise that infection and quickly respond to fight off diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough and more.

More information about Mersey Care’s Vaccinations and Immunisations service can be found on their website and on the Trust’s social media channels.