Pop-up clinics to offer MMR and HPV vaccinations

Pop-up vaccine clinics have been set up across Worcestershire for anyone who missed MMR or HPV immunisations.

The clinics are aimed at those who did not receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) or human papillomavirus (HPV) jabs as part of routine childhood immunisation programmes.

A catch-up clinic is taking place on Saturday from 09:00 to 13:00 GMT at Stourport Sports Club in Stourport-on-Severn, the county council said. There will be others at locations across the county in February.

The authority said Worcestershire ranked among the top areas in the West Midlands for MMR vaccinations, with over 90% of children receiving both doses by the age of five.

Measles is a highly infectious disease and spreads easily through coughing and sneezing, with anyone who isn't vaccinated or who hasn't previously had the illness at risk.

Two doses of MMR vaccination were needed to be fully vaccinated against the disease, the NHS said.

The council said the HPV vaccine protected against the most harmful, cancer-causing type of HPV, a very common group of viruses which spreads through skin contact.

More than 73% of eligible young people in the county had already received their HPV vaccine, but some may have missed out due to illness or being home-schooled, it added.

The catch-up HPV vaccine is available for free on the NHS for women aged 24 and under up until their 25th birthday and men born after 1 September 2006 up until their 25th birthday.

Appointments for the vaccinations are available to be booked online, with additional vaccination clinics being held in Bromsgrove, Redditch, Droitwich and Worcester in February.

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