Mass vaccination as a control measure

The epicentre of the outbreak was in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board area, population 500,000. The peak age group affected was 10 to 18 years. Our initial response was to encourage MMR vaccination through GPs and run MMR sessions in schools where transmission occurred. However, this failed to halt community spread.

We then followed emergency planning principles to deliver an integrated response, working with Public Health Wales, our three coterminous local authorities and voluntary organisations and publishing weekly newsletters for health professionals. We estimated we had over 9,000 under-vaccinated children to protect through MMR vaccination.

Our local response resulted in delivering over 25,000 MMR vaccinations to all ages through: a. GP vaccinations b. High school and college vaccinations c. Drop-in sessions in out-patient clinics d. Open access occupational health vaccinations for health staff e. Vaccine provision to local prisons for prisoners and staff f. Health visitors contacting parents of under-vaccinated children on their case loads and encouraging vaccination. g. Midwives advising pregnant mums of the risks to themselves and their unborn babies and encouraging vaccination of under-vaccinated children in their households. h. Vaccination of under-vaccinated care staff, clients and patients born from 1970 onwards in long-stay residential and nursing home facilities, psychiatric and learning disability units. i. Working with local universities to promote MMR for students through their GPs or drop-in sessions.

We communicated with the public through social media. The public used Health Board internet sites to discuss concerns and give support to each other.