HSE launches vaccination appeal for children who missed routine shots during pandemic

The HSE and World Health Organisation (WHO) are encouraging parents and guardians to make sure their children are up to date with their vaccines, including baby and school vaccines.

Monday, April 24 marks the beginning of this year’s European Immunisation Week, which takes place every year on the last week of April.

The theme for this year is "the big catch-up" and aims to improve vaccination uptake worldwide, especially in younger children who may have missed out on their routine vaccines since the Covid-19 pandemic.

READ MORE: Covid-19 vaccines being given to babies as young as six months from today as parents are issued with advice

Many children worldwide are not up to date with their recommended vaccines, making them vulnerable to disease. In the WHO European Region alone, over 1.2 million children have missed out on an MMR vaccine.

Dr Lucy Jessop, HSE Immunisation Lead and Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the National Immunisation Office, outlines: "In Ireland, children get two doses of the MMR vaccine so they can be fully protected against measles.

"However, uptake rates of the first and second doses of the MMR vaccine have dropped below the 95 per cent rate recommended by the WHO to stop measles from spreading.

"Unvaccinated, young children are most at risk of infectious diseases like measles. But if your child has missed any of their recommended vaccines, it’s not too late to catch up and get protected."

As well as the MMR vaccine, young people who are eligible for the Laura Brennan HPV vaccine catch-up programme can get a free HPV vaccine if they missed out on the vaccine when it was offered to them in school.

"The more young people vaccinated and women screened the better the spread of HPV infection can be controlled and the more HPV-related cancers prevented," Dr Jessop added.

READ NEXT:

• The two rival gangs at centre of Drogheda feud that claimed four lives have been 'dismantled', Gardai reveal

• Man arrested in prison over 2016 shooting of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch's brother Eddie Hutch in Dublin

• Man gets Social Welfare logo tattooed on his face because 'it's funny' and he wants to add another

• 'We'll see if he even lives to 57' - Conor McGregor hit with early grave warning over 'lifestyle'

• Weather models 'struggling' to get handle on system that could be 'firing up' storm for Ireland

Get news updates direct to your inbox by signing up to our daily newsletter here