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March 15, 2002

"New Cases of Measles May Be Linked"

London Times Online (www.the-times.co.uk) (03/14/02); Harris, Gillian; Hawkes, Nigel

In Scotland, the Fife NHS Board has confirmed that two children--one in grade school and one pre-schooler--have contracted measles, the first cases of the disease in Scotland in two years.  The older child had received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, but the younger child had not. Statistics indicate that fewer Scottish children are receiving the MMR vaccine, with 89 percent coverage last year, down from 93 percent in 2000.  Herd immunity, or the rate that is considered sufficient protection to a whole population, is 95 percent. Health officials from the Argyll and Clyde NHS are also awaiting test results for two suspected measles cases in Renfrewshire.

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