The best way to help protect your child against severe illness from polio, flu, measles, mumps, rubella and other childhood diseases is to get them up to date with their routine vaccinations.
Helping children get up to date with essential Polio and MMR vaccinations
Parents and carers of children who are not up to date with their vaccinations are being encouraged to arrange the free-of-charge vaccinations their children need to protect against polio and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
One in four London children are behind with their routine vaccinations, which are vital to protect against serious illnesses and disease.
The NHS is contacting parents and carers of primary school children who may have missed a vaccination. These are offered free of charge at school or at a GP’s surgery.
For children aged 1-4 (not yet at school), please check their Red Book or contact a GP surgery to ensure they are up to date, and get the necessary vaccinations if not.
All parents and carers can contact their GP surgery at any time to get their children up to date with their vaccinations.
Falling vaccination rates put more children at risk
London has much lower rates of routine childhood vaccinations than other parts of England regions. Just 74.1% and 73.8% of children have had their full schedule of MMR and polio jabs respectively by the age of five. This is well below the 95% target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), needed to eliminate these diseases.
Vaccinations are free of charge and available to every child from the NHS
If your child is not registered with a GP, they are still entitled to free vaccinations to protect them including against MMR and polio.
Anyone in England can register with a GP surgery. It’s free to register. You do not need any proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number.
Why do children need protection against Measles, Mumps and Rubella?
Measles cases are rising in London. The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective combined vaccine which protects against these three conditions, which can become very serious, and are highly infectious, so can easily spread between unvaccinated people.
Getting vaccinated is important, as these conditions can also lead to serious problems including meningitis, hearing loss and problems during pregnancy.
Click through to find out why these are a threat to children’s health now and in the future:
What vaccination will they children get if they are behind with MMR protection?
Two doses of MMR vaccines are usually given to children at one year’s old, and then in most around three years and four months’ old, although this is often at around 18 months in London boroughs. Your children will be given the appropriate dose to help them catch up with their protection depending on which vaccination they have missed. The MMR vaccine is given via a single injection (each dose) into the muscle of the thigh or upper arm.
Protection against measles, mumps and rubella starts to develop around two weeks after having the MMR vaccine.
Are MMR vaccinations safe?
The MMR vaccine is very effective. After 2 doses:
around 99% of people will be protected against measles and rubella
around 88% of people will be protected against mumps
The MMR vaccine is very safe. Most side effects are mild and do not last long, such as:
the area where the needle goes in looking red, swollen and feeling sore for 2 to 3 days
around 7 to 11 days after the injection, babies or young children may feel a bit unwell or develop a high temperature for about 2 or 3 days
Some children might also cry and be upset immediately after the injection. This is normal and they should feel better after a cuddle.
It’s important to remember that the possible complications of infectious conditions, such as measles, mumps and rubella, are much more serious.
Why do children need protection against polio?
Polio is a serious infection which is thankfully now very rare because of the vaccination programme across the world. There have been no confirmed cases of paralysis due to polio caught in the UK since 1984.
Although some poliovirus was found in sewage samples in London in 2022, the risk of getting it remains extremely low.
However, the chance of getting ill from polio is higher if you are not fully vaccinated, so it’s important to make sure children, are up to date with your vaccines. People who do get polio can sometimes because very ill and it can cause life threatening conditions and permanent disability.
Most people who get polio do not have symptoms. Some people get mild, flu-like symptoms, which usually last up to ten days such as:
a high temperature
extreme tiredness (fatigue)
headaches
being sick (vomiting)
a stiff neck
muscle pain
These symptoms usually last up to 10 days.
Rarely, polio can lead to more serious symptoms that affect the brain and nerves, such as weakness in your muscles (paralysis), usually in the legs. This can happen over hours or days. If the paralysis affects the muscles used for breathing, it can be life threatening.
Most people will recover, and movement will slowly come back over the next few weeks. Some people can be left with permanent disability.
Children need all five of these vaccinations to be fully vaccinated against polio. If they are behind with their routine vaccinations, they will get the appropriate vaccination or booster vaccination.
Vaccines reduce the spread of infectious disease and even get rid of some completely
When enough people get vaccinated, it’s harder for a disease to spread to those who can’t have vaccines
Getting vaccinated protects not only you but also your family, friends and community
Vaccines are made to prevent people from getting serious infectious diseases. It’s much safer for your immune system to learn to fight illness through vaccination than by catching and treating them.
More information about vaccines is available on the NHS website.
If you would like to know more about vaccines including vaccines by age group, schedules,the research behind vaccines and how they help prevent illness and spread, go to the Oxford University Vaccines Knowledge Project – a source of independent, evidence-based information about vaccines and infectious diseases.
Failing to protect children increases risk to health
In recent years, fewer children have been getting vaccines they need to help prevent illness now and in future.
In 2021, nearly 15% of children in London didn’t have their 6-in-1 vaccination – which protects against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B.
In 2021 – 2022, only 79.9% of children in London had their vital MMR vaccine – protecting them against measles, mumps and rubella.
The numbers of children having both vaccines are well below the World Health Organisation target of 95%. That’s why we are encouraging parents and carers to find out more and ensure their children are up to date with their vaccine schedule – also known as their ‘Red Book’. (Source)
Please click the links below to find out more.
6-in-1 vaccine
The ‘6-in-1’ vaccine is one of the first vaccines your baby will have.
It’s given as one single injection to protect your baby against six serious childhood conditions:
The 6-in-1 vaccine is given to babies when they’re 8, 12 and 16 weeks old.
They need 3 doses to make sure they develop strong immunity to the conditions the vaccine protects against.
Every time another dose of the vaccine is given, your baby’s immune response increases.
It’s best if your baby has the 6-in-1 vaccine at the recommended age so that they’re protected from serious conditions as early in life as possible.
If your baby has missed an appointment for the 6-in-1 vaccine, it’s never too late to have it. Make an appointment at your GP surgery or local child health clinic.
Polio is a serious infection that’s now very rare because of the vaccination programme. It’s only found in a few countries and the chance of getting it in the UK is extremely low.
Polio in the UK
There have been no confirmed cases of paralysis due to polio caught in the UK since 1984.
Although some poliovirus has been found in sewage from London recently, the risk of getting it remains extremely low. In 2022 children in London were offered a top up polio booster vaccine to help boost against possible infection after this discovery.
The chance of getting ill from polio is higher if you are not fully vaccinated, so it’s important to make sure you, and your child, are up to date with your vaccines. Babies will normally have the polio vaccine as part of the 6-in-1 set of vaccines.
Flu is caused by the influenza virus. It can be a very unpleasant illness for children. It can also lead to serious problems, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
Children can catch and spread flu easily. Vaccinating them also protects others who are vulnerable to flu, such as babies and older people. The children’s flu vaccine can also help protect against becoming ill from Strep A infections.
Strep A, also known as Group A Strep, strep, and strep throat, is a common bacteria called group a streptococcus (GAS). Lots of us carry it in our throats and on our skin and it doesn’t always result in illness. However, Strep A does cause a number of infections, some mild and some more serious.
Milder infections caused by Strep A include scarlet fever, impetigo, cellulitis, tonsillitis and pharyngitis (a sore throat).
Read more detailed information about Strep A, scarlet fever and other, related symptoms including advice on when to worry about coughs, colds, earache and sore throats in the ‘When should I worry’ booklet.
HPV
Girls and boys aged 12 to 13 years (born after 1 September 2006) are offered the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as part of the NHS vaccination programme.
The HPV vaccine helps protect against cancers caused by HPV, including:
In England, girls and boys aged 12 to 13 years are routinely offered the 1st HPV vaccination when they’re in school Year 8. The 2nd dose is offered 6 to 24 months after the 1st dose.
It’s important to have both doses of the vaccine to be properly protected.
If you’re eligible and miss the HPV vaccine offered in Year 8 at school, it’s available for free on the NHS up until your 25th birthday for:
Measles, mumps and rubella are highly infectious conditions can easily spread between unvaccinated people.
Getting vaccinated is important, as these conditions can also lead to serious problems including meningitis, hearing loss and problems during pregnancy.
Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide the best protection against measles, mumps and rubella.
Please note that in most London Boroughs, the first dose of MMR vaccine is normally given when your child is 12 months old, and the second when children are aged 18 months.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my child is up to date with vaccines they need? Or I don't know if my child has had the vaccines they should have – how can I find out?
You can contact your GP surgery to check if your child is up to date with their vaccinations. For children and babies, you can also check their personal child health record (the ‘Red Book’). If your child is not registered with a GP, you can still arrange a vaccination.
My child isn’t registered with a GP – how do I get them vaccinated?
If your child is not registered with a GP, you can still arrange a vaccination. Anyone in England can register with a GP surgery. It’s free to register. You do not need any proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number.
You can either register your child online or call or email the GP surgery and ask to be registered as a patient. Once you are registered the NHS will let you know when you can book your polio appointment. There is also information on large-scale vaccination centres in south east London where you can book an appointments in the ‘Where do I get my child’s vaccine?’ section above.
Seems dehydrated (sunken eyes, drowsy or not passed urine for 12 hours)
Is feeding or eating much less than normal
Is becoming drowsy (excessively sleepy) or irritable (unable to settle them with toys, TV, food or picking up) – especially if they remain drowsy or irritable despite their fever coming down
Has extreme shivering or complains of muscle pain
Develops a painful, red swollen gland in their neck which is increasing in size
Is 3-6 months of age with a temperature of 39°C / 102.2°F or above (but fever is common in babies up to 2 days after they receive vaccinations)
Continues to have a fever of 38.0°C / 100.4°F or more for more than 5 days
If your child has recently had scarlet fever but now appears to have a puffy face/eyelids, tea ‘coca-cola’ coloured urine (pee), or a swollen, painful joint(s)
Is getting worse or if you are worried
Read more about Strep A, scarlet fever and other, related symptoms including advice on when to worry about coughs, colds, earache and sore throats in the ‘When should I worry’ booklet
If none of the above features are present, please continue looking after your child at home and ask for help from your pharmacist to keep your child more comfortable.
When should I call 999 or go to A&E?
Call 999 or go to A&E If your child has any of the following:
Is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
Becomes pale, mottled and feels abnormally cold to touch
Is going blue around the lips
Too breathless to talk / eat or drink
Has a fit/seizure
Becomes extremely agitated (crying inconsolably despite distraction), confused or very lethargic (difficult to wake) or floppy
Develops a rash that does not disappear with pressure (the ‘Glass Test’)
Is under 3 months of age with a temperature of 38°C / 100.4°F or above (unless fever in the 48 hours following vaccinations and no other red or amber features)
Read more about Strep A, scarlet fever and other, related symptoms including advice on when to worry about coughs, colds, earache and sore throats in the ‘When should I worry’ booklet
South East London Integrated Care Board (the ICB) is an NHS organisation and is responsible for coordinating NHS vaccination services in south east London.
