Free vaccine against life threatening disease comes to Limerick

FREE HSE clinics providing vaccines against measles are coming to Limerick.

HSE Mid-West is hosting a series of free community MMR clinics in response to rising cases of measles across in the region.

This is part of a renewed awareness and engagement campaign over the coming months to ensure more people, aged one year and older, are fully vaccinated and protected against the disease.

The first free walk-in and scheduled MMR clinic will take place at Great National South Court Hotel, Raheen, this Saturday, July 27 between 10am and 4pm.

The HSE will also be doing a number of education sessions at healthcare facilities and public places (including shopping centres) to promote the MMR vaccine, educate on measles and promote the free clinics.

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Due to ongoing widespread outbreaks across the UK and Europe, there is a greater risk of measles infection with international travel, particularly among babies aged under 12 months who have yet to get their first MMR dose. 

Public Health HSE Mid-West is currently managing and investigating an outbreak of measles, involving 16 cases to date, the largest outbreak in the region since 2018. 

The MMR vaccine is the only protection against measles. Two doses of MMR vaccine in a lifetime is needed to give full protection from the highly infectious disease.

Those eligible are those born in Ireland from January 1, 1978 and do not have evidence of two MMR vaccines or if born outside of Ireland and do not have evidence of two MMR vaccines at any age.

If you are planning a holiday outside Ireland, you can now get your baby vaccinated before you go. They must be between 6 and 11 months. They should then get their next dose as normal at 12 months and the final dose in junior infants.

Dr Kenneth Beatty, acting consultant in Public Health Medicine, said: “This year we have seen a significant rise in measles cases across Ireland and abroad. Measles is a highly infectious disease, which can be very serious.

“One in five children with measles end up in hospital, while sadly about 1 in every 1,000 cases of measles will die. The MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine is a safe and effective method of protecting people from measles infection.  

“It is so important that people who have not received an MMR vaccine in the past take this opportunity to protect themselves and their families from measles.”

A list of Vaccination Clinics is available here.