Measles is no joke - have the jab to protect youself says top Redditch GP - The Redditch Standard

Measles is no joke - have the jab to protect youself says top Redditch GP

Redditch Editorial 16th Jul, 2018   0

By Dr Richard Davies, chair of Redditch & Bromsgrove Clinical Commissioning Group

YOU may well have seen information about a renewed push to ensure people are protected against measles.

This comes following a recent outbreak, with a number of cases reported in the West Midlands.

Measles is highly infectious and can be very unpleasant and sometimes lead to serious complications. Anyone can get measles if they haven’t been vaccinated or they haven’t had it before, although it’s most common in young children.




The renewed push is calling for people to protect themselves and their loved ones with two shots of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.

This is especially important at this time of year, as many people are setting off on holiday or planning on attending a festival, where there will be a lot of people in close proximity to one another, which increases the chances of the virus spreading.


Symptoms to be aware of:

* High fever

* Sore, red, watery eyes

* Coughing

* Aching and feeling generally unwell

* A blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms

There are several things that people can do to relieve the symptoms and reduce the risk of spreading the infection, including taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve aches and pains, stay hydrated, use damp cotton wool to clean eyes and stay off school or work for at least four days from when the rash first appears.

In severe cases, especially if there are complications, people may need to be admitted to hospital for treatment.

It’s important to point out that measles is still very rare, but it’s also important to ensure that your MMR vaccination is complete. Adults and older children can be vaccinated at any age and If children have missed their vaccinations in the past, it’s important to take up the vaccine now from your GP. To stay up-to-date, follow @RB_CCG on Twitter.

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