The best way to protect children from measles is by vaccination with the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine. In the UK children usually have their first MMR anytime after their first birthday and the second at around three years four months thereafter. It is important that your child completes the full course of MMR and has two vaccinations.

It is never too late for children to have MMR vaccination. If your child has missed their routine vaccinations, we would strongly recommend that you contact your Health Visitor, doctor or practice nurse to discuss and arrange vaccination.

If you have previously decided not to have your child vaccinated, we would urge you to reconsider. Now is a good time to think again, even if your child has already had measles, he/she still needs to have MMR vaccine to get protection against mumps and rubella.

General information on measles and the MMR vaccine may also be obtained from the following website: www.nhs.uk/vaccinations