PARENTS are being warned to check their children have had the full MMR vaccination before travelling away on their summer holidays this year.

Holiday destinations including France, Italy, Spain and Ireland are among the countries currently reporting high numbers of measles, mumps and rubella cases.

Experts are concerned that the summer holidays provide an opportunity for measles to spread as large numbers of people come into contact with one another and travel over a short period of time.

Dr Michael Baker, NHS England’s public health consultant in screening and immunisation for Hampshire and Dorset, said; “Measles is a very unpleasant illness and can lead to serious complications.

“So far this year, more than 224 children in England have been hospitalised.

“It is really important that parents make sure their children have had the full MMR vaccination as measles is a highly infectious illness and spreads really easily.

“It is never too late to get vaccinated against measles. Parents of unvaccinated children, teenagers or young people should seek at least one dose of MMR vaccination which will give them 95 per cent protection against measles.

“A second dose is then needed to provide almost complete protection.”

Children can be vaccinated at GP surgeries and children are routinely offered the MMR vaccine in two doses- at around 12 months and at the age of three.

For more information on measles, please visit nhs.uk/conditions/measles/pages/introduction.aspx