THE number of young children in Herefordshire being vaccinated or immunised against infectious diseases is slipping badly.

Once nearly top of the tables for protecting youngsters the county is now almost at the bottom, helping to prop them up.

More parents, it seems are refusing to let babies and little ones have the safeguarding jabs.

Dr Mike Deakin, director of public health has described the low levels as a cause for great concern. Many of the diseases involved could be very serious, he said.

The uptake for the single vaccine MMR jab for measles, mumps and rubella has been most in decline.

Last September 75.7 per cent of five-year-olds had been protected, compared with 87 per cent in North Stafford, and was one of the worst rates in the West Midlands.

Much of the blame has been put on a campaign to promote single vaccine immunisation for MMR on the grounds that the three-in-one vaccine was unsafe and could cause autism.

Unprotected

Dr Deakin discounted this claim and urged parents to listen to science and have their children immunised.

Herefordshire Primary Care Trust continued to recommend against single antigen vaccine because of the delay in protection, reducing the chance of completing the course and the need for multiple injections.

But it is not only the MMR jab which has fallen back. Vaccination and immunisation across the board has taken a knock with many children not now protected against polio, whooping cough, diphtheria and meningitis.

The county is said to be not doing very well, near to the bottom of the regional league tables.

Dr Deakin said GPs in the county were doing their best to protect children but it was parents who decided whether their children were vaccinated or immunised.

He made a plea for them to say yes to jabs and help avoid what could become a serious situation in the county.