Families urged to get MMR jabs to stop measles outbreak

Health leaders in the south have said they are worried about an outbreak of measles if people do not come forward and get vaccinated.

A campaign is running this summer for both adults and children to have the two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, which is needed for full immunisation

The fears follows a rise in cases of measles around the UK and in Europe.

Simon Bryant, director of public health at Hampshire County Council, said he was “concerned about the rise in measles we have seen across the country and across the world”.

Harriet Youldon-Helm’s son Albie has just turned one and she brought him to their GP surgery in Horndean for a vaccination.

She said it was “very worrying” that cases of measles had been on the rise.

“At the end of the day we don’t know what they will or won’t get,” she said.

“If there’s anyway we can prevent them from getting it then of course we want to do what we can to avoid it.”

NHS bosses want more parents like Harriet to come forward and check their child is immunised. Full protection against measles requires two doses of the MMR vaccine.

Children should be immunised with their first dose at one year of age, with the second and final dose given at 18 months.

There are two MMR vaccines – one contains porcine gelatine, derived from pigs, and the other does not.

Anyone who wants their child to have the porcine gelatine-free vaccine is advised to speak to their GP.

Dr Zaid Hirmiz, of Horndean Surgery, is Ms Youldon-Helm’s GP and deputy chief medical officer for NHS Hants and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board.

He said: ‘All vaccinations, not just MMR go through a lot of safety testing and monitoring and once that has passed that’s when they get licensed and even when they get licensed the monitoring and testing does not stop.

“We have an excellent record of safety for that vaccine, so I can assure everyone, these vaccinations go through a lot of safety checking before they are licensed.”

While children are the most vulnerable – this latest vaccination message is also important for adults too, who can catch it, become poorly and pass it on.

Health leaders say there is no age limit to getting vaccinated and want to remind people its free.

UK wide, uptake of childhood vaccinations, including for the MMR, is the lowest it has been in a decade.

In 2024 there were 2911 laboratory confirmed cases of measles in the UK, the highest number recorded since 2012.

In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as yet there has been no full outbreak, but between January 2024 and May 2025 there have been 29 confirmed cases in the area.

Mr Bryant said: “As people have been traveling over the summer and going back to school, the concern is that it may spread more.

“We have good uptake but its really important that is raised further so we have protection for the whole population and the vulnerable people in our society.”

Currently first dose rates in the region compare favourably to the UK, at 95%, however the second dose is lower at 90% which doesn’t reach herd immunity (95%).

There are also some areas such as in Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight where second dose uptake is lower still, at 86-87%