Measles

 

You may have seen the news regarding the rise in cases of measles in London and the large outbreaks in the West Midlands.

 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has now declared a national incident in order to focus actions to limit the spread. Further outbreaks of measles will spread to other towns and cities unless urgent action is taken to increase Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination uptake in areas at greatest risk. Children who get measles can be very poorly and some will suffer life changing complications.

 

To support this incident the Department of Education (DfE) has published: What to do if you think your child has measles and when to keep them off school guidance for parents and for schools.

 

UKHSA have stated that measles is not currently circulating in the south-east, there are cases in London and a sustained outbreak in the West Midlands (specifically Coventry and Birmingham but now in all local authority areas in the region) but at the moment in the SE, rashes are more than likely to be for other reasons (particularly in children). However being prepared is important.

 

Winter Bugs

 

Clare Joy – an NHS school nurse working locally – explains in this short video some top tips on keeping winter bugs at bay and using the Healthier Together app for advice.

You can watch on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS YouTube channel.

 

Download Healthier Together for advice with common childhood illnesses at https://www.what0-18.nhs.uk/about-us/adding-our-website or download from the App Store or Google Play.

 

It can sometimes be hard for parents to know the best way to help children recover from winter bugs. Healthier Together has been developed by local clinicians and gives simple advice on how to help them get better at home. The app will also help you to spot the signs if it is something more serious and guide you to the right help.

Kind Regards,