Measles: Senior councillor's vaccination plea as immunity rate falls in Calderdale

And Coun Tim Swift, Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for Public Health, has condemned those spreading doubt about the MMR vaccine, saying this had an impact on children’s health.

“We need to remember that measles kills people, it leaves them seriously injured,” he said.

“But because of the doubt that’s been spread about the vaccine, the vaccination rate amongst children and young people in Calderdale has fallen to around 90 per cent.

“And we know that 95 per cent is the level we need to guarantee a high level of immunity.”

Coun Helen Rivron (Lab, Ovenden) raised the issue and said the tragic news of a child’s death from measles at Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool this summer came amid increased incidence of measles and reduced level of take-up of the MMR vaccine.

She said she had caught measles as a child from a sibling and became seriously ill, and it was important her generation did not minimise impact of the infection, for example saying they caught it when they started in school and it did not do them any harm.

“Sometimes they would have younger siblings who were babies or small children who became very seriously ill,” she said.

Younger generations might not be as ware of its impact as it had all but been eradicated thanks to vaccination take-up, said Coun Rivron.

In a questions-to-cabinet members session, she said: “Measles is a dreadful disease and I’d like to know what cabinet’s thought are on how we can raise awareness of this and promote take up of the MMR vaccine?”

Coun Swift said he very much shared her concerns and condemned anyone scaremongering about the vaccine.

“The problem with measles is that it is extremely infectious and spreads very easily,” he said.

“We continue to promote vaccinations and would urge anybody of any age who has not had vaccinations or is not certain to check with their GP and make sure they get it – and, please, promote the uptake.”