With the start of the new school year in London, Public Health England and NHS England are calling on all parents to ensure that their child is up to date with all recommended immunisations.

Starting school is an exciting time for children but many start school not fully immunised. If your child is not fully immunised they are at risk of catching diseases such as measles, which can spread quickly in nurseries and schools. Public Health England recommends that parents contact their GP practice if they are not sure about their child’s immunisation status.

The 4-in-1 pre-school booster, given as a single jab containing vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) and polio is normally administered when a child is about three years and four months old. The pre-school booster is very effective in not only protecting children but also stopping onward infection as children can pass on germs to babies or those too young to have had all of their vaccinations. Children should also have received another dose of the MMR vaccine before school.

Vaccination programmes aim to protect people for life. If enough people in a community are vaccinated, it’s harder for a disease to pass between people who have not been vaccinated.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, regional director for PHE in London, said: ‘‘Immunising your child is the safest, simplest way to protect your child from childhood diseases, so make sure your child does not miss out. Measles for instance is a potentially fatal but entirely preventable disease and the only way to prevent measles outbreaks is to ensure good uptake of the MMR vaccine. If you are unsure whether your child is fully immunised, speak to your GP who will have a record.”

Caroline Alexander, Chief Nurse for NHS England (London), said: “Starting school is an exciting time, but as many new children come in to close contact with each other for the first time, it also comes with an increased risk of contracting diseases.

“This campaign is important to ensure our children’s health, and I really do encourage parents to check if their child needs any vaccinations to make sure they are properly protected.”