National MMR catch up campaign launched

Published: 08 August 2008

The Chief Medical Officer has this week written to the all primary care trusts in England to ask for their assistance in reducing the risk of a measles epidemic.

The Department of Health is making additional vaccine and funds available to help local health trusts put in place a campaign to vaccinate every child in England against measles. Parents are also being urged to get children immunised. The number of cases of measles in England has risen in the last decade and it is estimated that around three million children have missed either their first or second measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination.

The Department of Health report that an average English primary care trust will receive additional funding of £30,000.