Kind regards

School Office

Haydon Abbey School and Pre-School

Dear parents and carers,

I am writing to inform you of an outbreak of measles in a Buckinghamshire primary school. Measles is an infectious disease which spreads very easily and can cause serious illness, particularly in babies, pregnant women and people whose immune system is not working normally. The World Health Organisation estimates that 128,000 people globally died from this disease in 2021. The best way to prevent measles is through vaccination.

The most common symptoms of measles are:

• a high temperature
• a runny or blocked nose
• a cough
• red, sore, watery eyes
• spots in the mouth and a rash on the face and body

For more information about what to look out for please visit the NHS Measles webpage. Please contact your GP if you think that you or your child may have measles.

The MMR vaccine is offered to all children in the UK, and two doses provide lifelong protection against measles, mumps, and rubella (which can cause long term health conditions such as blindness and asthma). The first dose is usually given when your child is around 1 year old, and the second as part of the pre-school booster when they are 3 years and 4 months old. If your child has missed out on having these or any other routine vaccinations (or if you are not sure) then please contact your GP – catch-up MMR vaccination is available at any age.

The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective. Good vaccine uptake will help to prevent further outbreaks in Buckinghamshire schools, and early years and childcare settings, which disrupt our children’s education and can pose serious health risks.

Regards,

Daniel Flecknoe

Consultant in Public Health

Buckinghamshire Council