What nurses can and should do about the rise in measles cases
Following the death of a child in Liverpool from measles, it is shocking to realise that in 2025 measles can still be a major health issue, despite being eminently preventable by receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine. From spotting the signs and symptoms to the best way to debunk myths surrounding vaccination, nursing staff, including primary care nurses, are key to turning the tide and educating and encouraging the public to engage with health services
Primary care nurses are key to educating and encouraging the public to engage with health services and debunk the myths surrounding MMR vaccination for measles
Following the death of a child at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool from measles, it is shocking to realise that in 2025 a disease such as this can still be a major health issue, despite being eminently preventable by receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine. The question is, how best can nurses have a positive effect on the situation?
‘From spotting the signs and symptoms to the best way to debunk myths surrounding vaccination, nurses are key to turning the tide’
Our Expert Advice, UK measles outbreaks: key information for nurses, looks at the worrying rise in measles cases and the factors behind it, plus what nurses can and should do about it.
Regional deprivation, misinformation, vaccine hesitancy and a perception among sections of the public that measles is not a serious disease are among the drivers, and the importance of the role nurses play in tackling this problem has never been greater. From spotting the signs and symptoms to the best way to debunk myths surrounding vaccination, nurses are key to turning the tide.
Educating and encouraging the public to engage with health services
While measles is a visible health problem, a disease such as cancer presents more complex challenges for nurses. In common with encouraging measles vaccine uptake, our article, Improving cervical screening uptake in under-served patient populations, looks at the ways a quality improvement project encouraged healthcare providers at a GP practice to improve cervical screening uptake among women from underserved communities in Bedford.
A range of measures were employed from outreach programmes to culturally sensitive education, all aimed at addressing the barriers to screening uptake.
Whether it is measles or cervical screening, the task of educating and encouraging the public to engage with the health services is never-ending, and nurses in primary care settings are at the vanguard of amplifying positive health messaging and delivering excellent care.
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