Would the choice of single vaccines help to compensate for the drop in MMR uptake?
No. Even if every parent followed a single vaccination programme, the time delay would still mean the spread of all three diseases in the community. • Fewer children will be protected at any one time increasing the risk of outbreaks among them • Some may not complete the course and remain unprotected • Some may opt to miss out rubella in the mistaken belief that it is less dangerous than measles and mumps • More children will be born with deafness, blindness and other lifelong difficulties because of rubella infection in pregnancy Single vaccines would require six separate trips to the GP and an increase in invasive procedures increases the incidence of local reactions.
