Mayo worst for uptake of MMR vaccine

Mayo worst for uptake of MMR vaccine
Western People, July 23 2009

MAYO has one of the worst uptakes in the country for the MMR vaccine, despite a recent spate of mumps outbreaks in the county.

Parents have been urged to ensure their children are protected with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine following a spike in diagnoses.

The surge in mumps which hit universities, schools and sports clubs across the country this year was the highest since recording began with the introduction of the MMR vaccine in 1988.

Last month, three people were hospitalised with mumps - around one per cent of the 274 cases recorded by the health service.

According to the latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, the half-year total for 2009 was 3,250 cases - a nine fold increase on the same period last year.

Around 90 per cent of children aged two have had one dose of the vaccine, around five per cent lower than the target rate, according to the latest national immunisation uptake statistics.

Mayo is one of the worst regions in the country for uptake of the MMR among young children at just 86 per cent. Only Dublin South City (76 per cent), Kildare/West Wicklow (84 per cent), Wicklow and Waterford (both 85 per cent) perform worse than Mayo.

Concerns have been raised in the past about a possible link between the vaccine and autism. However, Crossmolina GP and Mayo spokesperson for the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), Dr Eleanor Loftus, said these reports were unfounded.

"There was a media scare about a link between the vaccine and autism which did frighten some parents and put them off but those reports were just not true.

"I would urge parents to get their children vaccinated," said Dr Loftus.

The MMR vaccine protects children against measles, mumps and rubella, with measles being the most dangerous disease.

Three children in Ireland died as a result of the measles outbreak in 2000.

Dr Loftus said that in her surgery she has seen a number of cases of teenagers and people in their early twenties returning from college with mumps.

In August last year there was a serious outbreak in the Claremorris area and earlier this year the HSE West advised all teenagers and young adults in Mayo, Galway and Roscommon to ensure that they have had two doses of the vaccine to avoid contracting the infection, after a large rise in the number of mumps cases in the region.

[Story Source: Western People Newspaper]