NHS expands pharmacy MMR jabs to 16-25s amid rising cases
A local commissioner has expanded its pharmacy MMR jab catch-up campaign to young people aged 16-25, it has announced.
NHS England (NHSE) North West is calling on people aged 16 to 25 to catch up on “missed doses” of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, it announced yesterday (June 17).
It launched the next phase of its campaign today (June 18), which involves sending letters and texts to “around 450,000 people”, encouraging them to receive missing doses of the vaccination at their pharmacy or GP surgery, it said.
NHSE North West is also expanding the number of pharmacies that offer the vaccine from 45 to 60, a spokesperson confirmed to C+D today.
Read more: 'No plans' to roll out MMR jab in NI pharmacies despite awareness campaign
The North West was the “first” region in the country to start offering the MMR vaccine in community pharmacies to children aged five to 11 amid the recent surge in measles cases, the commissioner said.
The new appeal comes after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed last week (June 13) that there have been over 1,600 confirmed measles cases in England so far this year.
As of this month, 79 of these cases came from the North West with 10 of them being among 15 to 24 year-olds, according to the latest data.
“Lower uptake”
NHSE North West regional director of commissioning Dr Linda Charles-Ozuzu said that there has historically been a “lower uptake” of the vaccine among 16 to 25 year-olds.
She added that there is evidence that this group is “more likely” to get seriously ill or be hospitalised if they contract measles.
The MMR vaccine is “the most effective way to protect yourself”, she said.
Read more: London pharmacies will offer children’s MMR jabs following case surge
The campaign follows an earlier drive by NHSE North West this year to increase the vaccine’s uptake among five to 11-year-olds after figures fell short of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) target of 95% coverage with two doses by the age of five, the commissioner added.
Earlier this month, the Public Health Agency (PHA) in Northern Ireland said it had “no plans” to roll out the MMR vaccine in pharmacies, despite an influx in measles cases.
