In the UK 1 in 7 children are not up to date with the
Measles, Mumps and Rubella, or MMR, vaccination.
That's a big deal.
I'm David Green, nurse consultant for immunisations at Public Health England.
In this video, I'll be talking about the importance of your child being up to date
with the MMR vaccine.
I'll also be clearing up some of the myths you may have heard about online.
The first dose of MMR is given around the age of one year old.
The second dose is when your child is a toddler
around the age of three years and four months.
Crucially, you need both doses to be fully protected.
One dose is not enough.
Your child may have a sore arm or leg,
a headache, or possibly a fever for a day or two after the vaccine has been given.
Don't worry, this is entirely normal after vaccination.
Obviously it's best for your child to be vaccinated on time.
But if your child has missed a vaccine, don't worry, it can be given at any time.
Make an appointment with your doctor
so your child can be brought up to speed with the MMR jab.
Why is getting the MMR jab so important?
What is all the fuss about now?
The real worry at the moment is measles. Measles is a highly infectious viral illness.
Some people with measles may need to be admitted to hospital,
some of them may suffer life changing complications,
some may even die.
Measles is particularly serious for young children,
and pregnant women.
If you're not immune to measles, you're at risk of catching it and spreading it to others.
Measles is a preventable disease.
Almost 100% of people who have had both doses of the MMR vaccine
are immune for life.
Sadly, we're seeing an increase in measles cases at the moment,
This is directly related to too few people having both doses of the MMR vaccine.
OK, let's address some of the elephants in the room.
The horror stories you may have heard about online.
The idea that the MMR vaccine causes autism, is totally, utterly, completely, false.
Numerous scientific studies, from across the globe,
including a very large one published in 2014,
has throughly debunked the myth that the MMR vaccine causes autism.
If you hear anyone telling you that
the MMR vaccine is in any way related to autism, you can be confident that they are completely wrong.
There are no chemicals in the MMR vaccine
that are harmful to your child in the tiny doses they receive.
You may have read, or seen online, concerns
about mercury in the MMR vaccine.
I can assure you this is completely false.
There is no mercury in the MMR jab.
Having the jab does not overload your child's immune system.
In fact it helps it.
Studies have shown that receiving multiple vaccines at the same time
are in no way harmful to your child's immune system.
In fact your child's immune system will be working harder
when it has a simple infection, like the common cold.
Finally, it's worth noting
That one of the brands of MMR vaccine has pork gelatine in it.
If this is unacceptable to you, you can ask
for the alternative brand called Priorix.
This does not contain pork gelatine, and is just as safe and effective.
I think I have covered the most common rumours that we see and hear.
If you have any specific concerns, you can talk to your GP or practice nurse.
Having jabs isn't fun. But it's really important
for you, your child and your community
that you are protected against measles, mumps and rubella.
If you have any more questions, please write them in the comments below,
and we'll do our best to answer them.
I hope that has cleared a few things up for you and thank you for watching.