Uptake of MMR vaccine at all time high

Published Friday, 24 August 2012
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The rate of toddlers receiving the MMR vaccine in Northern Ireland has reached an all-time high.

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More than 95% of two year olds have been given the protection against measles, mumps and rubella.

Health Minister Edwin Poots said the figures are very encouraging and congratulated parents on "taking this very positive step to ensure their children are protected".

"Measles, mumps and rubella are highly infectious conditions which can be life threatening, and the MMR vaccine is the safest and most effective way to ensure protection," he said.

"In Northern Ireland, people are voting with their feet and they are going to their GPs, they are taking their children to get the MMR vaccine and that is something that I would view very positively."

Research in 1998 suggested that autism could be caused by the vaccine, and afterwards vaccination rates dropped sharply.

However after further research, the scientific consensus is that no evidence links the vaccine to the disorder.

It is recommended that all children should have two doses of MMR by the age of four years.

Northern Ireland chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride welcomed the latest figures but said there was still room for improvement.

"We only have to look at recent outbreaks in Northern Ireland and across the UK to see the very real danger of children not receiving MMR vaccine," he said.

"I would therefore urge all parents to ensure their children are protected."

Dr Carolyn Harper, director of public health at the Public Health Agency, said: "Virtually all parents here are now choosing to have their children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella before two years of age.

"By doing so they have done the best thing for their children and protected them against these serious infections."

Dr Richard Smithson, a consultant at the Public Health Agency advised parents who were still concerned that the original paper in question has now been discredited.

"There has now been a massive amount of research done into the safety of these vaccines and all of that evidence points to how extremely safe they are," he said.

"The original paper has been totally discredited. The journal that published it has actually totally withdrawn it because it has been discredited and there is now overwhelming that this is a safe, effective vaccine and I would say that the best thing you could do for your child is to give them this vaccine."

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1 Comments
paul in newry wrote (270 days ago):
if the mmr is what it was suppose to be why was there a call for all children to have it done again back in 1990 ??????????
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