Pupils who have not received two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may be required to self-isolate for three weeks, according to warnings issued by councils in England. In an effort to prevent the spread of measles among school-aged children, authorities have sent letters to parents urging them to check their children’s vaccination status. Those who are unvaccinated risk being excluded from school for 21 days if a measles case is detected in their school. This development follows months of disruptions to children’s education during the pandemic.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which initially provided this advice in 2019, has highlighted London as particularly vulnerable to a measles outbreak. London has the lowest MMR vaccine uptake in the country, and council warnings were prompted by the projection that up to 160,000 cases could occur in the capital alone. Official data from October to December 2022 reveals that over a quarter of children in London have not received the MMR vaccine.
Barnet Council in London, along with two other authorities, has sent letters to parents informing them that their children may face a three-week isolation period if they come into close contact with a measles patient. The letters emphasize the importance of ensuring children’s MMR vaccinations are up to date, as this vaccine not only protects against measles but also mumps and rubella. Hertfordshire County Council and Haringey Council have also issued similar warnings to parents of unvaccinated children.
The 21-day isolation period is based on guidance published by the UKHSA in 2019. It outlines the steps health teams will take if a measles case is identified in a school, which may include offering the MMR vaccine, providing preventive medication to close contacts with vulnerable health conditions, and potential exclusion from school for up to 21 days. Siblings of unvaccinated children who have been in close contact with a measles case may also be asked to self-isolate. However, officials stress that this isolation is not as strict as during the Covid pandemic, as children are still allowed to leave their homes for other activities.
Health experts argue that while the three-week isolation can be disruptive, it is necessary to prevent measles from spreading among children and causing serious illness. Measles is highly contagious, with officials estimating that nine out of ten unvaccinated children will catch the disease if one child in their classroom is infected. NHS England data indicates that MMR vaccine uptake in England is low, with only 89.2% of two-year-olds receiving one dose and 85.7% of five-year-olds receiving both doses. In London, the uptake rate is even lower at 74%, putting one in four children at risk.
Efforts to encourage MMR vaccination have been hindered by the dissemination of misinformation, including the now-debunked link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Prior to the publication of this discredited study by Andrew Wakefield, MMR uptake in England was around 91%, but it fell to 80% in the aftermath. While vaccination rates have slightly improved since then, the rise of anti-vaccine sentiments during the Covid pandemic has likely influenced some parents to forgo vaccinating their children. In addition, the UK has identified a total of 42 cases of the Pirola Covid variant, an increasingly prevalent mutation of the virus.
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