Opinion

Dr Sara Kayat: 'It's It is incredibly important we make sure children are protected'

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With cases of measles in England rising, Dr Sara Kayat says it's more important than ever to encourage parents to make sure their children's vaccinations are up to date.
Dr Sara Kayat: 'Speaking as both a doctor and a mum, the MMR vaccine is the best possible way to keep our children safe and healthy' PHOTO Dr Sara Kayat, Instagram
Dr Sara Kayat: 'Speaking as both a doctor and a mum, the MMR vaccine is the best possible way to keep our children safe and healthy' PHOTO Dr Sara Kayat, Instagram

Measles cases are on the rise. In fact, cases have more than doubled in England so far this year, compared to the whole of last year, and the numbers are even higher abroad - with cases rising across some areas of Europe.  

As we all gear up for the summer holidays, when families are more likely to travel, unprotected children could be at risk of the disease. It is incredibly important we make sure children are protected – and encourage parents to get them vaccinated against measles as soon as possible.

Measles is one of those diseases we don’t tend to worry about anymore because vaccination has been so effective, but the reality is it hasn’t gone away. Looking at the latest national data, between 1st January and 30th June there were 128 cases of measles in England, compared to 54 cases in the whole of 2022. This shows just how infectious it is – in fact, just one infected person can pass measles to nine out of ten unprotected people – so it’s really important we get our kids fully vaccinated.  

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