Thousands must have repeat MMR jab

Thousands of parents who took their children to private clinics for single jabs against measles, mumps and rubella were today facing a bitter dilemma over whether to have them re-immunised.

Health chiefs say up to 40,000 youngsters who received separate injections instead of the combined MMR jab may not be protected because the vaccines were not stored properly.

They want parents who paid for single jabs at the Elstree Aero-Medical Centre any time in the last decade to take their children to their GP to have the combined injection.

But today parents reacted angrily to the warnings, blaming the Department of Health for the fiasco. They believe single injections should be available on the NHS.

Uptake of MMR in London and the South-East is at an all-time low amid continuing fears over its safety.

The Elstree clinic in Hertfordshire - and a second health centre, Hillsborough Arena in Sheffield - were both closed in February because they were not registered with the inspection watchdog, the National Care Standards Commission.

At the time, more than 1,000 babies were recalled amid fears the single vaccines they received were ineffective.

Health chiefs now fear up to 40,000 youngsters may be affected after discovering " aberrant" immunisation practices were going on for years.

Financial planner Damon Shaw, 48, from Borehamwood, who took his two-year-old daughter Georgia for three single jabs at the private clinic last year, said: "After the clinic was closed we took Georgia to be tested and discovered that she was not immune to mumps and rubella.

"We had to have her reimmunised. It is a real shock to discover that your child's health has been put at risk by the people you trust to look after it. I feel let down by the clinic and the Government."

Another parent - Natasha Dyong, 28, from Bushey, who took her two-year-old son, Aaron, for the single jabs between February and August last year - said: "I feel very let down and disappointed. We were told that the single jabs would be totally safe."

The latest scare comes as new statistics reveal there were more cases of measles in the capital last year than the five previous years put together.

There were 198 confirmed cases in London last year - up from 25 the previous year.

Uptake for the MMR vaccine in England and Wales is now well below the 95 per cent recommended by the World Health Organisation.