This article was originally written in 2022 by Caroline Graham and was updated in February 2024.
Parents and carers should make sure their children are up to date with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and all other routine childhood immunisations, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the NHS has said.
Measles can lead to complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, and inflammation of the brain which require hospitalisation and on rare occasions can lead to long term disability or death. But vaccination removes these risks. Since the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1968 it is estimated that 20 million measles cases and 4,500 deaths have been prevented in the UK.
Keeping case numbers down
Measles is highly contagious so even a small decline in MMR uptake can lead to a rise in cases. NHS figures show that more than 4.4 million children under 16 are unprotected or not fully protected leaving them at risk of catching what can be a serious disease but preventable disease.
Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and medical director at NHS England, said: "It is incredibly important that all parents and guardians ensure their child is up to date with their routine vaccinations, including MMR, as these vaccines give children crucial protection against serious and potentially deadly illnesses and stop outbreaks in the community.
"If your child has missed a vaccination, please contact your GP practice to book an appointment as soon as you can to make sure they have maximum protection against disease."
If your child attends an early years setting, it is vital that you adhere to the recommended exclusion times for contagious illness. If you are unsure about these ask your early years provider for details. Measles is a notifiable disease and if the GP confirms it as so, they will notify the relevant authorities. Parents should make sure that they inform their early years provider of this too.
Key facts
Measles
Measles is a very infectious viral illness that is spread by coughs and sneezes. If you are not protected and have even passing contact with someone who has measles, the chances are that you will be infected too. If you catch measles, you will probably feel very poorly and be off school or work for around 10 days. There is no treatment or cure for measles.
Symptoms of measles include fever, sore red eyes, and rash. It can be a very serious infection for some people in high-risk groups such as babies and small children, pregnant women and people with weak immunity
Complications can include chest and ear infections, fits, diarrhoea, encephalitis (infection of the brain) and brain damage.
Those who develop complications may need to be admitted to hospital for treatment and around one in 5000 individuals with measles is likely to die.
Mumps
Mumps is a viral illness that is spread by coughs and sneezes or close contact with someone who already has the infection.
Symptoms usually last around two weeks and can include headache and fever but the most common symptom is swelling of the glands at the side of the face. This can give you the appearance of having a ‘hamster face’ and can cause pain and difficulty swallowing.
Complications of mumps can be very painful and can include inflammation of the ovaries or testicles, and in rarer cases, the pancreas. Mumps can also cause viral meningitis and encephalitis (infection of the brain). Around one in 20 people infected may have temporary hearing loss.
There is currently no medication to cure mumps, so treatment is focused on relieving symptoms. Most cases of mumps now occur in young adults who haven’t had two doses of MMR vaccine.
Rubella
Rubella is a viral illness, often called German measles, that is now rare in the UK thanks to the success of the MMR vaccine. It is spread in a similar way to mumps and measles.
For most people, it is usually a mild condition that gets better in 7 to 10 days without treatment. However, if pregnant women develop rubella, it can be very serious for their unborn baby.
Symptoms of rubella include a rash, cold-like symptoms, and aching joints.
Complications of rubella are rare but if a pregnant woman catches rubella during pregnancy, there can be devastating consequences for her unborn baby which could lead to the baby being born with cataracts (eye problems), deafness, heart problems or brain damage.
What next?
Children are offered two doses of the MMR vaccine by their registered GP surgery, the first when they turn one and the second at around 3 years and 4 months, before they start nursery or school.
If you've missed them and your child is under five it is not too late to catch up.
To book your child to get their MMR jab please contact your local GP.
Or if you would like more information first, please visit NHS/MMR.
Useful resources
Download an MMR information leaflet
Download the MMR leaflet in different languages
