Appeal to help stop the spread of measles

Hywel Dda Health Board is supporting Public Health Wales’ plea for parents to ensure children are given two doses of the three-in-one measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as cases across West Wales continue to rise.
So far in 2013, there have been 23 cases across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion compared to five during the same period in 2012.
Letters are currently being sent to families in Llanelli, where cases of Measles are up 300% compared to the same period in 2012.

Parents in the locality are being urged to ensure their children are fully protected from this preventable but life-threatening disease. Immediate arrangements should be made with their GP for their children to receive the MMR vaccine if they are not fully protected.
However, this vital message applies to all parents and guardians if the spread of this disease is to be halted.
Teresa Owen, Director of Public Health for Hywel Dda Health Board repeated the plea: “There is an ongoing outbreak of measles in West Wales. To control this outbreak we need to vaccinate all children and young adults who have previously not had a full course of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
“We cannot overemphasise the need for children to be vaccinated in order to control this outbreak. Even if your child has already had measles in the current outbreak or previously, they still need to have MMR vaccine to get protection against mumps and rubella.”
Dr Marion Lyons, Director of Health Protection for Public Health Wales, said: “Measles is such an infectious disease that around 90 per cent of unvaccinated people who come into contact with cases will catch it. You only need one or two people who haven't had the vaccination to put at risk babies, toddlers and anyone else who is vulnerable, such as children with leukaemia who cannot have the vaccination and pregnant women who haven't been vaccinated.
“We cannot emphasise enough that measles is an illness that can kill, or leave people with permanent complications including severe brain damage. The only protection is the safe and highly effective MMR vaccine.”
Parents should check their child’s Personal Child Health Record (Red Book) to ensure their child is protected. Appointments should be made immediately with your GP for their child to receive the MMR vaccine if they are not fully protected.
Further information on Measles, including a link to a video testimony from a mother whose three year old unvaccinated daughter contracted measles, is available at www.publichealthwales.org/measles
Hywel Dda Health Board statistics:
57 cases of Measles recorded in 2012.

23 cases recorded to date in 2013

Locality	Total in 2012	To date in 2013
Carmarthen	3	3
Ceredigion	7	2
Llanelli & Dinefwr	15	9
North Pembrokeshire	30	5
South Pembrokeshire	2	4

To prevent the spread of the illness, Public Health Wales has issued the following advice: 

• If your child is un-vaccinated make immediate arrangements with your GP for them to receive the MMR vaccine. This is even more important if your child has had contact with someone with measles. 
• If your child is unwell and you suspect it is measles you should contact your GP. Your child should not attend school or nursery for four days after the rash starts. 
• Telephone your GP surgery to inform them you or your child has a rash illness before attending, so that arrangements can be made in advance for minimising contact with other vulnerable patients. 
• Avoid going to A&E unless you are seriously ill, and if you do attend, telephone ahead to let them know you or your child may have measles. 
• Avoid contact with pregnant women, people with weak immune systems and babies who are too young to be vaccinated, as they are more vulnerable to infection and there are very few treatments available to help them if they do catch measles. 
• If any family members are pregnant, receiving chemotherapy, or aged under one, it is vital to ensure that all other family members are up to date with their MMR vaccination. Maternity wards, midwives and health visitors are being asked to share information with parents to encourage them to check the vaccination status of all children in the family to avoid further household spread amongst vulnerable groups.