Glyn Davies, Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire, is calling on all parents to give serious consideration to vaccinating their children against measles, following the loss of the UK’s ‘measles-free’ status.

Within recent years there has been a small decline in the uptake of the MMR vaccine, with 231 confirmed cases of measles in the UK within the first quarter of 2019. This has led to the World Health Organisation withdrawing the UK’s measles-free status, three years after the virus had been eliminated within the country.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered urgent action to improve the number of children and young people receiving life-saving vaccinations, in halting the spread of infectious diseases. This will include:

• Health leaders and GPs being asked to promote catch-up vaccinations for children who may have missed out on both does.

• Social media companies being urged to take decisive action in tackling misleading information regarding vaccines online, with a summit called to explore how they can take steps to remove ‘anitvax’ misinformation.

• The Government will use the NHS website to address misleading claims about the safety of vaccines.

Glyn Davies is therefore urging parents to give proper consideration to the countless benefits of vaccinating their children against such virus’ as measles.

Glyn Davies said: “This week’s announcement that the UK has lost its ‘measles-free’ status is a wake-up call for us all - complacency will lose out against the Measles virus, which is a highly contagious and dangerous infection. Measles can be devastating for children and families.

“There are many reasons why some parents choose to not have their children, or indeed themselves, immunised. I well recall the MMR scandal of the nineties, which even today plays a huge part in spreading misinformation about the safety of the vaccinations scare stories, which have been completely debunked.

"The problem has been multiplied by misuse of social media, where misleading information is often believed. It is also deeply frustrating that infectious diseases such as measles could have been eradicated once and for all within the UK were it not for this scandal.

“I am very pleased that the Prime Minister is taking a leading role in halting the spread of infectious and treatable diseases within modern-day Britain, reassuring parents about the safety of vaccines and ensuring communities are properly immunised. It is never too late for anyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated to have the MMR jab, and I would urge them to consider doing so.”