Parents in north London have been warned that their children could be excluded from school if they are not fully vaccinated against measles, amid an outbreak of the disease in the area.
According to Enfield Council, unvaccinated pupils who have been in close contact with people with measles could be excluded from school for 21 days, in line with national guidelines.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed that at least 34 children have contracted measles in Enfield so far this year, with some cases requiring hospital treatment.
Outbreak Details
A local health chief told the BBC that the number of cases is a significant increase from what is normally seen in the area.
Dr Jo Sauvage, the chief medical officer of North Central London Integrated Care Board, said that outbreaks of measles do occur in pockets across the country, but the current number of cases in Enfield is unusual.
Vaccination Uptake
The outbreak has highlighted concerns about low vaccination uptake in the area, with just 64.3% of five-year-olds in Enfield receiving both doses of the MMR vaccine in 2024/25.
National uptake was 84.4% that year, down from a high of 88.8% a decade ago, according to the UKHSA.
Response to the Outbreak
Local GP surgeries have reported infections in at least seven schools in Enfield and neighboring Haringey, and catch-up clinics have been set up to immunize children who have missed their vaccination at school.
Dr Ellie Cannon, a local GP, said that the outbreak was likely the first time she had seen measles in her 20-year career, and emphasized the need to improve vaccination uptake.
