Decline in MMR vaccinations
The number of children vaccinated with the MMR (measles,
mumps and rubella) vaccine in the United Kingdom has declined.
The Public Health Laboratories Service attributes
the decrease to the implementation of the meningitis C vaccination programme
rather than to adverse publicity about MMR.
In the first quarter of this year, 86.4 per cent
of children were vaccinated by the age of 24 months, which represents
a 1.6 per cent drop compared with the previous three months. The reduction
was similar for all countries within the UK.
The PHLS says that MMR vaccine was being offered
at the same time that children were being given catch-up doses of meningitis
C vaccine, which might have resulted in children only receiving one of
the two vaccines. The uniformity of the drop throughout the UK supports
the theory that the reduction was caused by pressure put upon primary
care services by offering the two vaccines at the same time. Previous
adverse publicity about MMR vaccine had not resulted in a uniform drop,
the PHLS says.
A spokeswoman for the PHLS told The Journal
that the reduction might go on for another six months, while the two vaccines
were offered together, but that numbers should increase again when all
children had been given a catch-up dose of meningitis C vaccine.
To maintain “herd” immunity, a 95 per cent uptake
of MMR vaccine is required.
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