'I had no idea measles could make babies so ill and it was awful - a vaccine could save a life'
"I had no idea measles could make babies so ill," says the mother of a baby who was struck down with the illness.
Mother-of -two Davina Barrett, from Walsall, said it was “awful” when her then three-month-old son Ezra contracted measles in January.
She is now backing a public health appeal to parents to get children vaccinated as health bosses issued a warning over a potential surge in cases ahead of the beginning of the new school year.
“We were so shocked at how bad Ezra got quite quickly,” she said. “The rash spread rapidly and covered his entire body.
“Seeing him struggling to breathe and being hooked up to oxygen was awful. I had no idea measles could make babies so ill.
“Parents need to know that they are not just protecting their own child, but that the MMR vaccine could save the life of a baby like Ezra who is too young to have his own protection.
“Measles can be nasty but it’s entirely preventable.”
There have been 2,278 confirmed cases in England from January to August 5.
Ezra, now aged 10 months, from Pelsall, was diagnosed with the condition after falling ill on January 9 and spent six days in recovering in hospital.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is joining forces with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England to hold a six-week vaccination drive to urge families to protect children from “easily preventable” diseases such as measles, whooping cough, meningitis, diphtheria and polio.
It comes amid concerns that uptake of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is still too low in some parts of England.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: “As a mum and doctor it is especially tragic to see kids suffering when these diseases are so easily preventable.
“Two MMR jabs offer the best and safest protection against measles but if unvaccinated children are at risk of serious illness or life-long complications.
“No parent wants this for their child.”
There was a surge of measles cases last year following an outbreak of the disease in Birmingham, which sparked an MMR catch-up campaign.
UKHSA figures show that in the last 12 months the NHS has administered 180,000 additional MMR doses with more than 51,000 of those given to children aged five or under.
More than 13 per cent of previously unvaccinated children under five had their first dose of the jab during the period, while uptake of the second dose among black, Caribbean or African children aged between three and five was up by 4.9 per cent.
Dr Saliba added: “It is encouraging that parents whose children have missed vaccines are now coming forward, but we are a long way from ensuring all are protected and safe.
“And importantly vaccination is also about not spreading the disease to others who may be more vulnerable.
“Measles is highly infectious and is still circulating in many areas across the country.
“It only takes one case to get into a school or nursery where many children are unprotected for numbers to suddenly surge.”
Steve Russell, national director for vaccinations and screening at NHS England, said: “The NHS is clear that measles can be really dangerous and so it is critical that children get vaccinated."
In the four weeks to August 5 there were 153 cases mainly in London.
