A resurgence of measles has prompted pediatricians to update their national childhood disease guidelines for the first time in decades ahead of a potential outbreak this winter.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has included the once rare condition in its guidelines for treating children with viral respiratory infections in hospital.
The guidance now describes key symptoms of measles in children that many pediatricians missed earlier in their careers, and reminds health care providers to check the vaccination status of all children admitted to the hospital.
Data published this year by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows a sharp rise across the country in cases of measles, a highly contagious disease with potentially serious complications, especially in very young children.
There were 128 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles in England in the first half of 2023, two-thirds of them in London, although all regions reported at least one case.
About 65 percent of cases affected children under 10 years of age, and 20 percent of cases affected teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 34 years. Less than one in five (19 per cent) cases were imported or import-related, with the remainder reflecting community transmission in England.
NHS data also shows that no vaccine has reached the 95 per cent vaccination target set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in England, with vaccination rates against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) now at its lowest level from 2010-2011.
“The UK is currently experiencing a devastating resurgence of virtually eradicated life-threatening diseases such as measles,” the RCPCH said.
The decline in vaccination rates is a “worrying trend” and calls for the speedy publication of a long-overdue national vaccination strategy.
The strategy, on which the government consulted with health experts and the public last year, aims to improve vaccination services for local people by addressing issues around accessibility, misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.
RCHR President Dr Camilla Kingdon said: “It is a disappointing but necessary step to include measles in our national guidelines for the first time in decades.” We are already seeing the consequences of this in the measles outbreaks in London, Wales and Leicester.
“Many pediatricians I know live in fear of a possible measles outbreak this winter. The winter period is always an extremely difficult time for all healthcare workers due to the sharp increase in the incidence of RSV and influenza, as well as the circulation of Covid-19 and group A streptococcus. Adding another highly contagious and dangerous disease to the mix would be catastrophic and could put our already fragile system to its knees.
“Now we ask the government again: where is the long-awaited vaccination strategy?”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “It is vital that routine childhood vaccinations are kept up to date as they remain one of our best public health protections.” coverage expansion campaigns, including the national MMR catch-up campaign and the London MMR and polio campaigns.
“We encourage parents and guardians to check that their children are up to date on their vaccinations and if not, they should make an appointment to catch up.”
Source: I News
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