There has been a rise in children and young people with measles across England. This coincides with fewer children and young people having MMR vaccinations in recent years.
Measles is more than just a rash, with 1 in 5 children and young people needing to visit hospital. It’s not just a childhood illness either, measles can make adults seriously unwell too.
Measles symptoms
It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of measles. In many cases of measles, cold-like symptoms usually appear before a rash, including:
- high temperature
- runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- a cough
- red, sore, watery eyes
A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms. You may also notice small white spots in the mouth, which usually last a few days.
For more information, go to our online Symptom Checker tool.
Go to Symptom CheckerMMR vaccine
Two doses of the MMR vaccine can stop your child from becoming seriously unwell with measles. You can make sure your child stays up to date with their MMR vaccinations by checking their red book.
Missed doses
You can make an appointment with your local GP practice to catch up on any missed doses.
More information about the MMR vaccine can be found in the below video:
You can also read more about the MMR vaccine on the NHS website.
More info