Mother urges MMR vaccination after baby suffers severe measles

A mother whose baby suffered severe breathing difficulties after contracting measles is urging parents to get their children vaccinated as health officials predict a possible rise in cases with the new school year approaching. A significant outbreak began in the West Midlands last year and has since spread across the country. In 2023, there were 321,582 cases of measles worldwide, an 88% increase on the 171,153 cases reported the previous year.

Davina Barrett, from Walsall, recounted the horrific experience when her three-month-old son Ezra contracted measles. She described it as “horrific” and was surprised at how quickly his condition deteriorated. The rash quickly covered his whole body and he struggled to breathe and needed oxygen. Barrett expressed her shock at how bad measles can be for infants.

She stressed the importance of vaccination, pointing out that the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine not only protects individual children, but also saves the lives of infants like Ezra who are too young to be vaccinated. “Measles can be bad, but it's completely preventable,” she explained.

The UK Health Authority (UKHSA), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England are launching a six-week campaign to encourage vaccination against preventable diseases such as measles, whooping cough, meningitis, diphtheria and polio. Concerns remain about low uptake of the MMR vaccine in certain areas of England.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, epidemiologist at the UKHSA, stressed the preventability of these diseases, saying: “Two MMR vaccinations provide the best and safest protection against measles. Unvaccinated children are at risk of serious illness or lifelong complications.”

The first symptoms of measles include high fever, a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, and red, sore, or watery eyes. These cold-like symptoms are followed by a rash that begins on the face and behind the ears and spreads all over the body. The patches of the rash may merge into blotchy patches and sometimes appear in the mouth.

UKHSA data shows 2,278 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles in England from the start of 2024 to August 5, including 153 cases in the last four weeks, mostly in London. In the last 12 months, the NHS administered 180,000 extra MMR doses, including over 51,000 to children aged five or under. Second-dose vaccination rates among Black, Caribbean or African children aged three to five increased by 4.9%.

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