NHS launches urgent MMR vaccination campaign amid measles surge
With a significant rise in measles cases across England, the NHS is targeting young people with an MMR vaccination drive in key areas, following a decade of declining immunisation rates.
In response to a concerning rise in measles cases across England, the NHS is urging young people, particularly those aged 19 to 25, in London, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands to get vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. This initiative follows an outbreak that has seen 733 reported cases of measles since October, a significant increase from the 53 cases in 2022. Health officials attribute the drop in vaccination rates to the discredited 1998 study falsely linking the MMR vaccine to autism. To tackle the outbreak, the UK has initiated a vaccination catch-up campaign, offering jabs at GP surgeries and pop-up clinics. Dr. Gayatri Amirthalingam from the UK Health Security Agency highlighted the vaccine’s safety and its role in preventing the disease’s spread, particularly to vulnerable groups. The campaign aims to encourage over 900,000 young people to receive their MMR vaccinations.
In a separate incident in the United States, a man in New Mexico has died from the bubonic plague, marking a rare occurrence of the disease which is historically known for the Black Death pandemic in the 1300s. This follows another case in Oregon where an individual was infected through a sick pet cat. Health officials in New Mexico have issued warnings to residents to avoid contact with rodents, the common carriers of the plague, and to maintain cleanliness to prevent the disease. With modern antibiotics, plague cases can often be treated successfully, though vigilance is required to prevent spread. Between 2000 and 2020, the US recorded only 14 confirmed plague deaths, reflecting the effectiveness of current medical treatments but also underscoring the continuing relevance of historic diseases in the modern world.