WALES’ chief medical officer Sir Frank Atherton is calling on parents to ensure their children are fully vaccinated against measles and are up to date with their other childhood immunisations.

Sir Frank has said it is essential that uptake of a full course – two doses - of the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine is increased to 95 per cent, the target set by the World Health Organisation.

Measles spreads very easily among those who are unvaccinated, especially in nurseries and schools. Children who contract the disease can become very unwell and, in some cases, measles can lead to hospitalisation or, in rare cases, death.

Babies and young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immunity, are at increased risk of complications from measles.

MMR is part of the Routine Childhood Immunisation Programme – with one dose offered when a child is one year old and another second dose at three years, four months.

Parents whose infants missed out, or anyone of any age who has not yet had a vaccine, are urged to come forward.

With whooping cough cases also on the rise in Wales, Sir Frank is also encouraging all pregnant women and parents of young babies and children to ensure they’ve had their Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccinations. Babies under six months are most at risk.

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Chris Jones has written to all health boards asking them to take urgent action to ensure at least 90 per cent of youngsters in every school in Wales is fully vaccinated by July 31 this year.