Ep8. Should you get your child their second dose of MMR at 18 months? Measles outbreaks and the MMR vaccine. Expert Guest: Professor Sir Andrew Pollard

Ep8. Should you get your child their second dose of MMR at 18 months? Measles outbreaks and the MMR vaccine. Expert Guest: Professor Sir Andrew Pollard

In this episode we are joined by Professor Sir Andrew Pollard. Sir Andrew is Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Oxford and a consultant paediatrician at Oxford Children’s Hospital and Fellow of St Cross College. He received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2021 for services to Public Health, especially in the pandemic, and received the Order of Medical Merit (Grande Official) from the Federal Republic of Brazil in 2022 and is Commander of the Order of Rio Branco. We discuss the risks of measles, why there are ongoing outbreaks. We also discuss how the myths came about regarding the vaccine and what the evidence is that disproves the myths. We also discuss common and rare risks of the vaccine and their important benefits. Importantly we discuss changes to the UK vaccine schedule and what to expect if you are a parent of a child weighing up these decisions.

Whilst no information is perfect, it changes, we have done our best to bring together information to the best of our knowledge. Information is always subject to change. The views here are our own and do not represent that of any institution or affiliated body although we do discuss public health guidance in general. It is always important to discuss anything we talk about with your own healthcare provider. This is not direct personal medical advice as you are not our patients however, we want to give the public the information we already have, so you are more informed to make your own choices.