More pop-up vaccination clinics being set up during half term holidays

The clinics are being set up across the half-term weekend in parks, supermarket car parks, market streets, family hubs and libraries across the Black Country and Wyre Forest.

The clinics, which will be running every day throughout the half term break, are open to all eligible children who are due or have missed a dose.

All children are invited for their first MMR vaccine on the NHS when they turn one, while the second dose is given when they reach three years and four months of age.

The NHS has said that having two doses of the vaccine provides the best protection against MMR and adults and older children can be vaccinated at any age if they have not been fully vaccinated before.

Adults up to the age of 25 are also invited to come forward.

The clinics will start on Saturday, February 10 at Mary Stevens Park in Stourbridge, running from 10am to 3pm, at West Bromwich Central Family Hub on Claypit Lane from 9am to 3pm and at Kidderminster Library from 9.30am to 4pm.

On Monday, February 12, they will run at the Tesco on Silver Street in Brownhills from 9am to 3pm and at Bilston Market from 9am to 2pm and on Tuesday, February 13 at the Lye War Memorial from 9am to 2pm and at the Tesco on Fox Oak Street in Cradley Heath from 9am to 3pm.

On Wednesday, February 14, the clinics will be at the Square in New Invention from 9am to 3pm and at Low Hill Family Hub in Wolverhampton from 9am to 3.30pm and, on Thursday, February 15, at New Square in West Bromwich and Blakenhall Village Centre in Walsall, with both running from 9am to 3pm.

Finally, there will be a clinic at Dudley Market Place from 9am to 2pm on Friday, February 16 and, on Saturday, February 17, at Walsall Town Hall from 9am to 2pm and Halesowen Town Centre from 10am to 3pm.

The clinics will be staffed by trained healthcare professionals from the NHS and Vaccination UK who specialise in childhood vaccinations and follow all necessary safety protocols.

Children will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the clinics.

Dr Fiona Rose, local GP and Clinical Director for Quality and Safety for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “The half term break provides a great opportunity for eligible children who are due or have missed a dose, as well as adults up to the age of 25, to get protected against measles.

“Measles is a highly infectious disease which can lead to serious complications such as severe lung infections and inflammation of the brain.

"It can spread quickly among communities, particularly schools and nurseries, if children have not had two dose the MMR vaccine.

“With cases rising in the West Midlands, it’s never been more important to ensure your child is fully vaccinated with MMR vaccine.

"It’s safe and effective, and offers the best protection against measles, so please do come forward and pay one of our pop-up clinics a visit.”

Lisa McNally, Director of Public Health in Worcestershire, said: “We’re really pleased to be working alongside our NHS colleagues to make sure as many people as possible have the option to be vaccinated against measles.

"We’re really proud that our vaccination rates are so high in Worcestershire, one of the highest uptake rates in the West Midlands, with over 90 per cent of children being vaccinated with two doses by the time they are 5 years old.

"To give the best protection to everyone, we need our MMR vaccination rates to be even higher.

"There are around 4,000 primary school-aged children in Worcestershire, who haven’t had their MMR vaccination, and could be at risk of getting this serious illness.

"It’s never too late to catch up.”

To find out more and to book an appointment, go to nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/