Bradford MMR jab rate fall means higher measles risk

A measles outbreak is a higher risk in Bradford due to the falling MMR jab take-up, councillors heard

A fall in the number of children in Bradford getting the MMR jab has put the city at more risk of a measles outbreak, councillors have been told.

Just under 90% of children under two in Bradford currently get the jab, down from 94.6% in 2013-14, the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee heard.

The lower take-up of the vaccine meant outbreaks of these diseases were more likely, public health bosses said.

A 95% take-up rate was needed for herd immunity, committee members were told.

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According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillors were told the falling take-up of the measles, mumps and rubella jab is among several public health indicators meaning Bradford is "significantly worse" than where it needs to be.

Public health consultant Duncan Cooper told the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee that measles was a particular risk in the city because it has a high R number - the rate at which the disease is transmitted in the community.

"We've heard we have to get the R level below one to reduce the spread of Covid. By comparison, the R level for measles is 14. That means if one person has it, they on average will pass it on to 14 other children," he said.

Neighbouring Leeds had seen "some really big measles outbreaks" and that showed Bradford's MMR jab rate needed to be back up to 95%, Mr Cooper said.

He added that many people were still affected by the Andrew Wakefield scandal in 1998 in which the former physician published a paper falsely claiming the MMR vaccine was linked to autism.

Dr Wakefield was struck off the medical register after his claims were widely discredited, but his paper and subsequent press appearances have been linked to a drop in the number of parents getting their children vaccinated.