Most of the children in Wales have been vaccinated with MMR vaccine. The figures for MMR vaccination have reached 85.8% in five years old children and they have completed a double course of the vaccine. Health experts feel that last year’s outbreak of measles in Wales has made most of the parents ready to get their children vaccinated.

But there are still some families who remain doubtful about the efficiency of these vaccines. Even though this is the highest rate of vaccination which has been achieved since the triple vaccine shot was introduced in the year 1988, it is still well below the 95% rate, which is recommended by the World Health Organization to prevent the outbreak of measles.

Health experts are still very happy that the vaccination rates are increasing among children. It is stressed that getting two shots is important to get protection. An increasing number of families are realizing that it is very important to protect their children from measles.

After the publication of a controversial paper by Dr Wakefield, vaccination rates had fallen considerably in the beginning of the 21st century. In some areas like West and South-West Wales, the vaccination rates are still less than
70%.

But there are also some areas where vaccination rates have increased and reached almost 95%. No cases of measles or rubella have been reported in Wales while 133 cases of mumps have been reported, as compared to
854 last year.