Following an outbreak of measles in Europe, parents are being advised by Public Health England to ensure children are up to date with their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination before travelling.
Cases of measles have been reported across Europe with Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, France and Poland most affected.
Measles is a highly infectious virus which, in extreme cases, can be fatal. Symptoms of the infection include; fever, conjunctivitis, runny nose, coughing and a rash. A rash will usually take a few days to appear and will spread across the whole body.
According to Travel Health Pro, children are given their first MMR vaccination at 12 months and their second just before starting school. In children and adults, two shots are required in order to be considered fully protected.
With summer holidays just around the corner, checking the relevant vaccinations for the country of travel have been administered, is essential for families who are jetting abroad. As vaccinations are not generally required in Europe this will be an addition to many lists.
Some vaccinations come with a cost, even on the NHS, and depending on the destination of travel vaccinations for a family can soon add up. Generally, most travel insurance policies will not reimburse the cost of vaccinations under a cancellation claim. Only a few will, so this is something worth checking if the cost of vaccinations is eating into your holiday budget.
In addition, if a disease or virus is contracted and the individual has not had the correct vaccination or taken the appropriate precautions, they may be liable for all related medical expenses. But this will depend on the terms and conditions of the travel insurance policy.
It is worth being health aware before you head abroad, as this advice comes just weeks after holidaymakers travelling to Greece were warned of a potential West Nile virus outbreak.
