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85 per cent of
parents want single jabs
by RACHEL WLLIS, Mail on
Sunday
3rd February 2002
 ore
than eight out of ten Britons believe the Government should make single
measles, mumps and rubella vaccines available to parents.
The poll of 1,000 adults for the Tonight With Trevor MacDonald programme
is further evidence that the Government has mishandled fears about the MMR
jab, which has been linked to autism and bowel disorders.
The Department of Health refuses to make the single vaccines available
to parents on the NHS, even though public confidence in the triple MMR
vaccine has dipped so low that in some parts of the country uptake of the
jab is just 65 per cent.
Experts say 95 per cent of children need to be vaccinated to exclude the
possibility of localised outbreaks of the three diseases. The result is
that three children have measles at two private nursery schools in
Streatham, South London, and 22 possible cases are being investigated.
None of the infected children had been given the MMR jab. The NOP survey
reveals that 85 per cent of adults think the NHS should offer parents a
choice between the MMR vaccine and the three individual vaccines and 38 per
cent are dissatisfied with the Government's handling of the issue.
The survey, which will be highlighted on the ITV1 programme tomorrow
night, also shows that 55 per cent of Britons believe Tony Blair should say
whether his 20-month-old son Leo has had the jab. Yesterday, it was
reported that Leo was given the MMR vaccine last week. However, Downing
Street refused to make any comment.
Campaigners said until Mr Blair made a clear statement about whether Leo
had received the jab or not, the issue remained confused. Meanwhile,
private clinics are receiving more than 800 calls a day from parents who
want their children to have the single vaccines. One clinic, Direct Health
2000, claims it has given single vaccines to 15,000 children in the last
year.
TV presenter Carol Vorderman refused to give her four-year-old son,
Cameron, the MMR jab after her eldest daughter, Katie, reacted badly to the
injection. She said: 'It is a scandal that we are not given the option [of
single vaccinations]. It's not a lot to ask for. We are responsible
parents, trying to do the best for our children. We're being patronised.'
A spokesman for Visceral, the charity that funds research into the link
between MMR and autism, said: 'When the triple vaccine was first introduced
in 1988, the provision was made for parents to have the single vaccines if
they wished. That provision was withdrawn in the Nineties, but the case for
its re-introduction in 2002 appears to be growing daily.'
Meanwhile, Panorama on BBC1 will reveal research tonight that appears to
link the MMR jab to autism and bowel disease. The Department of Health
maintains the MMR jab is safe.
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85
per cent of parents want single jabs 
