Increase in Measles cases across London

Measles is very infectious and can spread from person to person quickly, especially in education and childcare settings. Little can be done to prevent measles spreading if people are unvaccinated. The MMR vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of measles.

In 2024, London saw the largest measles outbreak in well over a decade. Following a reduction in cases towards the end of last year, measles cases have started to increase again. Due to suboptimal uptake of the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, London remains at high risk of a very large measles outbreak.

Reduce spread of infection

Schools are places where measles infection can easily spread. To help to reduce the spread of infection, schools can:

1. Identify who might have been in contact with measles cases and provide information on what they need to do.
2. Share messages around the importance of vaccination and hand hygiene to reduce the spread of measles.
3. Help to identify any groups that might need additional resources (e.g. translated or simple text information) or alternative approaches to encourage vaccination.
4. Provide a location for delivering vaccination sessions if required.

Measles information pack

This measles information pack for education and child care settings contains:

• Actions to take before there is a measles case.
• Actions to take if you are aware of any likely or confirmed cases of measles among people who have attended your setting, who have been diagnosed by a doctor or other health care professional.
• Template letter (appendix 1) which can be sent to parents, carers, staff etc if they are contacts of a case.
• A factsheet on measles (appendix 2).
• Further information and resources on measles and vaccination.

Vulnerable groups

Measles can make people very ill, particularly those in vulnerable groups. It may be helpful to identify people who attend the school setting that are in vulnerable groups so that they can be quickly identified if they come into contact with a measles case. These are:

• People who are immunosuppressed
• Pregnant women who are not fully vaccinated against measles
• Infants younger than 12 months.