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Measles resurgent in UK
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Measles resurgent in UK Three years after the virus was eliminated from the country, the UK has lost its “measles-free” status FOLLOWING 231 confirmed cases of infection in the first three months of the year, the UK has lost its measles-free status with the World Health Organization. Prime minister Boris Johnson has called for health leaders to renew their efforts to ensure that 95 per cent of people have had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The World Health Organization recommends that 95 per cent of people need to be vaccinated against measles to achieve herd immunity, which stops the infection spreading through populations. Recent figures suggest that only 87.2 per cent of UK children have received the second dose.
“Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to man – only one person travelling back to an area with lower vaccination rates can lead to an outbreak,” says Mary Ramsay of government agency Public Health England. “Anyone who has not received two doses of MMR vaccine is always at risk.” To improve vaccination rates, NHS England will write to all family doctors urging them to promote “catch-up” vaccination programmes. There are also plans to update advice on the UK National Health Service website
to specifically address misleading information about vaccines. Social media companies are expected to be called to a summit to discuss how they can promote accurate information about vaccination. Amid an increasing focus on digitising the NHS (see page 9), a strategy being developed by the Department of Health and Social Care is likely to ask the NHS to find technological solutions to identify those who have missed a vaccination, and to make it easier to book vaccine appointments. “From reassuring parents about the safety of vaccines, to making
More on vaccines online
The latest on preventing deadly infectious diseases newscientist.com/article-topic/vaccines
sure people are attending follow-up appointments, we can and must do more to halt the spread of infectious, treatable diseases in modern-day Britain,” Johnson said on Monday. Junior health minister Jo Churchill told BBC Radio 4 that the NHS and UK government need to work with social media companies so that “misinformation is taken down, and that we give people the correct information that they can help keep their children safe”. She said the government is working to make sure there would be no shortages of drugs following Brexit. “On the measles vaccine, there are buffer stocks in place and I don’t see any issue with supply.” ❚ Staff and agency 24 August 2019 | New Scientist | 5
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Cleaning the air Walls of moss could help fight traffic pollution p6
Measles resurgent in UK Three years after the virus was eliminated from the country, the UK has lost its “measles-free” status FOLLOWING 231 confirmed cases of infection in the first three months of the year, the UK has lost its measles-free status with the World Health Organization. Prime minister Boris Johnson has called for health leaders to renew their efforts to ensure that 95 per cent of people have had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The World Health Organization recommends that 95 per cent of people need to be vaccinated against measles to achieve herd immunity, which stops the infection spreading through populations. Recent figures suggest that only 87.2 per cent of UK children have received the second dose.
“Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to man – only one person travelling back to an area with lower vaccination rates can lead to an outbreak,” says Mary Ramsay of government agency Public Health England. “Anyone who has not received two doses of MMR vaccine is always at risk.” To improve vaccination rates, NHS England will write to all family doctors urging them to promote “catch-up” vaccination programmes. There are also plans to update advice on the UK National Health Service website
to specifically address misleading information about vaccines. Social media companies are expected to be called to a summit to discuss how they can promote accurate information about vaccination. Amid an increasing focus on digitising the NHS (see page 9), a strategy being developed by the Department of Health and Social Care is likely to ask the NHS to find technological solutions to identify those who have missed a vaccination, and to make it easier to book vaccine appointments. “From reassuring parents about the safety of vaccines, to making
More on vaccines online
The latest on preventing deadly infectious diseases newscientist.com/article-topic/vaccines
sure people are attending follow-up appointments, we can and must do more to halt the spread of infectious, treatable diseases in modern-day Britain,” Johnson said on Monday. Junior health minister Jo Churchill told BBC Radio 4 that the NHS and UK government need to work with social media companies so that “misinformation is taken down, and that we give people the correct information that they can help keep their children safe”. She said the government is working to make sure there would be no shortages of drugs following Brexit. “On the measles vaccine, there are buffer stocks in place and I don’t see any issue with supply.” ❚ Staff and agency 24 August 2019 | New Scientist | 5