Local 4th, 5th and 6th year students to take up the offer of MMR vaccination ahead of the summer break after an outbreak of mumps cases in this age group.

This call comes from local election candidate for Louth County Council James Carroll.  It follows an announcement by the Health Service Executive (HSE) that it will be offering the vaccination to older teenagers to help prevent the further spread of this highly infectious disease.

Speaking following the announcement, Mr Carroll said, “I would encourage the parents of teenagers attending 4th, 5th or 6th year to urge their children to take up this offer of an MMR vaccine.  Outbreaks of mumps have become increasingly frequent in 15 to 24 year olds in recent years and this programme is aimed at preventing the further spread of this disease.”

“We all know how dangerous mumps can be and this vaccination programme will help to prevent any more teenagers from contracting the disease.  It will not only help protect them now but also long into the future.  The reason for this outbreak is that there are a lot of teenagers who have not had two doses of the MMR vaccine so the risk of spreading the disease is increased.  There have been reports around the country of outbreaks in secondary schools, colleges, universities and sports clubs. That is why it was decided to target this age group.”

“According to the latest research receiving one does of MMR is approximately 80% effective at preventing mumps, while a second dose raises that level of prevention.  The HSE will be arranging these immunisation clinics in schools in the comings weeks and I want to encourage as many students as possible to take up the offer of the vaccination,” James Carroll added.

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Additional Notes:

Mumps is an acute viral illness that causes fever, headache and painful, swollen salivary glands.  It requires isolation or quarantine, and can cause people to miss up to two weeks from school, work, studying, taking exams or socialising.  Generally complications are mild but mumps can cause meningitis, deafness or inflammation of the pancreas or testicles. MMR vaccine provides protection from mumps, as well as measles andrubella.

Recent studies estimate that one dose of MMR is approximately 80% effective and estimates for two doses of MMR range from 88-95% effective in preventing mumps illness. If a young person’s MMR history is not known, an extra dose of MMR will do no harm, and could offer valuable protection against mumps.

The vaccination programme will take place in the weeks before the summer break, and any schools that are not targeted will be followed up in September.

More information is available from www.mumps.ie or the HSE infoline 1850 24 1850.

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