HEALTH bosses in the borough are urging parents to take steps to protect their children against measles, mumps and rubella.

The warning to ensure older children have had two doses of the MMR vaccine comes after a number of cases of measles and mumps have been reported across London in recent weeks.

The diseases have been more prominent in secondary school aged children, and NHS Barnet said it may be possible many of that age group contract them because they are still inadequately protected.

Doctors said the vaccine is the only “safe and effective way” to protect children from the diseases but only works if initial doses are followed up by a second as teenagers.

The majority of one to five-year-olds in the borough are now protected, but health experts are now recommending parents contact their GP if their child has not been vaccinated twice.

Dr Andrew Burnett, Director for Health Improvement/Medical Director at NHS Barnet, said, “I am delighted that the majority of parents are now discounting the myths about MMR immunisations and are immunising their children to prevent these serious diseases in increasingly large numbers.

“The fact most under five-year-olds in Barnet are now fully protected against these diseases is a joy to report and shows the hard work of healthcare staff, especially from GP practices, in encouraging parents to immunise their children is paying off.”

Figures show as many as one in five people with measles requires hospitalisation, one in 25 develops pneumonia and about one in a thousand dies, while one in twenty people with mumps develop meningitis, and four in ten men develop testicular inflammation that can lead to fertility problems.

Rubella is also reported to potentially cause problems during pregnancy for women who contract it inside the womb.

Councillor Helena Hart, Barnet Council's cabinet member for public health, said: “At last we seem to be getting the message across that the MMR Vaccine is safe and absolutely vital to protecting children against these extremely unpleasant and serious diseases.

“One dose of MMR is not enough and that to be fully protected against all three of these virulent and highly infectious diseases, children need to have two doses of the vaccine at least one month apart.”