Parents urged to keep up-to-date with children’s vaccinations

The Local Government Association (LGA) are urging parents to make sure their children are up-to-date with all their routine vaccinations, saying that high update could prevent infections and stop pressure being piled on the NHS.

While injections being given in schools are being rescheduled, the childhood vaccination programme is continuing as normal, protecting children against serious diseases including whooping cough, measles and meningitis.

The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, said it expected an uptake of children needing vaccinations once schools return in September, and called for the government to set out a plan to ensure children receive the vaccinations they need and to provide funding to allow schools, clinics and GPs to cope with the expected demand.

Research by Public Health England found that in the first three weeks of lockdown. There was s 20 per cent reduction in the uptake of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccines given to young children, the numbers rising again in late April. There was little impact on other vaccines given, and further analysis by PHE found that vaccination levels were back to normal in May and June.

Judith Blake, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said “Vaccines are an absolutely essential part of our children’s health and wellbeing, so if you or any member of your household are not displaying symptoms of coronavirus and are no self-isolating, vaccinations should happen as normal.

“Local services are working hard to ensure that people including babies, children and pregnant women still receive their routine vaccinations – they provide essential protection against potentially life-threatening diseases.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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