Parents urged to make sure their children's vaccinations are up-to-date
Katy Morton
Saturday, August 15, 2020
The Local Government Association is concerned that children may have missed their routine vaccinations during COVID-19 lockdown.
The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, says that children missing vital vaccinations could put a strain on the NHS and lead to ‘avoidable consequences’ in the long term.
According to research by Public Health England (PHE) and the London Schools of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, immunisations fell by 20 per cent in the first three weeks of lockdown.
The LGA is now calling for the Government to set out its plan to ensure that children receive their routine vaccinations without overwhelming GPs, clinics and schools, and to provide the necessary funding to allow local authority staff to cope with the demand.
It says that schools have remained open throughout the pandemic and have demonstrated that they have the control measures in place to safely provide immunisation programmes on site. Currently, the flu vaccine is administered to young children while at school.
Councillor 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 well-being, so if you or any member of your household are not displaying symptoms of coronavirus and are not 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.
‘The national immunisation programme is highly successful in reducing the number of serious and life-threatening diseases such as whooping cough, scarlet fever and measles. High vaccine uptake can prevent a resurgence of these infections, which can cause harm and put unnecessary added pressure on the NHS.
‘We really do encourage parents to check if their child needs any vaccinations to make sure they are properly protected.’
- A full list of vaccinations and when they are available, for children and adults, is accessible through the NHS website
