Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that “public health is not a culture war” and called on parents to check that their children have received all the recommended vaccinations. In the north London borough of Enfield, 34 cases were confirmed between January 1 and February 9 – more than a third of the total of 96 cases recorded in England this year.
According to the data of a local doctor’s office, one out of five infected children ended up in the hospital, and none were fully vaccinated. At least seven schools in Enfield and Haringey have reported cases of infection, with warnings that the virus is still spreading.
Starmer said that vaccines are safe, effective and can save lives, and that leaders should stand behind science and not give space to conspiracy theories.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads easily among unvaccinated people. It causes cold-like symptoms, rashes and spots in the mouth. Although most sufferers recover, the disease can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, and in rare cases to permanent disability or death.
Britain’s health agency has warned that a major outbreak in London could lead to 40,000 to 160,000 infections, with a hospitalization rate of 20% to 40%, depending on age.
The MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella has been available in the UK since 1988. The decline in vaccination rates began in the late 1990s after a discredited study falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism, affecting long-term confidence in vaccines. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of parents who are reconsidering vaccinations has increased, often encountering misinformation on the Internet.
(Vijesti.ba)
