Rising measles cases cause alarm in Liverpool

By Rachel Walker

The leader of Liverpool City Council has pledged to ensure “we get everyone fully vaccinated” against measles following the death of a child at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

The child, whose age and sex is unknown, is believed to be the second child in England to die in the past five years.

Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool City Council, said the council extended its “deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences” to the family of the child, who died on Sunday 13th July.

Liverpool’s low uptake rate

In Liverpool, the take-up rate for having both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is around 74 percent, significantly lower than the 83 percent average rate for England.

Alder Hey says they have treated 17 children with measles since June.

The low uptake of the vaccine is being blamed for the recent spike in cases seen across the North-West of England.

Neighbouring Manchester also has a lower-than-average uptake at 75 percent.

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Why is measles making a ‘comeback’?

There seems to be various reasons behind the low vaccination rates which are causing this recent spike in cases.

Many children may have missed receiving both doses of the vaccine due to the Covid pandemic when most healthcare appointments were cancelled.

Another issue is disinformation around vaccines, specifically the false claims made by Researcher Andrew Wakefield in 1998.

He falsely claimed that there was a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Wakefield’s work was later dismissed, and he was struck off by the General Medical Council in 2010 but the damage done by the claims seems to have endured.

Disinformation around vaccines is rife on the internet and on social media, where fake ‘experts’ claim to expose the truth about drug companies and offer alternate treatments. 

The United States has seen a similar rise in anti-vaccine sentiment, amplified by the appointment of ‘anti-vaxxer’ Robert F. Kennedy Jr as Health Secretary.

Symptoms of measles

Measles infections usually start with cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose and coughing and sneezing, according to the NHS.

This is followed within days by a distinctive blotchy rash, which usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

According to the NHS England website, the MMR vaccine is recommended for all babies and young children, but older children and adults can have it if they were not vaccinated when they were younger.

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