THE head of the Wessex Local Medical Committee has urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated to reduce the chances of a local measles outbreak.

In Swansea at the weekend, more than 2,500 people had the MMR vaccines in a fourth week of special clinics to tackle a measles epidemic.

Recent figures suggested only 70 per cent of five-year-olds in Bournemouth and Poole had been given the full MMR vaccine.

Wessex Local Medical Committee’s chief executive Dr Nigel Watson said: “Measles was a common childhood illness 30 years ago but due to the introduction of the MMR vaccine it became less common and only seen occasionally. “Due to the reports in the 1990s about the potential link of MMR to autism, the level of vaccination fell and the direct result of this has been the rise in cases of measles and the current outbreak in Wales, with new cases of measles being reported throughout the country. “The link with autism has been disproved but the legacy of reduced immunisation remains. Measles is a horrible illness and can be associated with serious complications including fits, meningitis, hepatitis – inflammation of the liver – pneumonia, deafness and rarely can be fatal.

“We want to see that all children are fully protected to reduce the chances of an outbreak locally.

“If you child has not been fully vaccinated please consider contacting your practice and arrange to have your child vaccinated.”