HSE announce free MMR clinics across Clare to combat measles risk

HSE Mid West is announcing a series of free community MMR clinics, in response to rising cases of measles across in the Mid West and Ireland.

A number of clinics will operate in Clare and the Mid-West as part of a renewed awareness and engagement campaign over the coming months to ensure more people, aged 12 months and older, are fully vaccinated and protected against this serious disease.

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. 

Dr Kenneth Beatty, Acting Consultant in Public Health Medicine, said: “This year we have seen a significant rise in measles cases in the Mid West region, across Ireland and abroad.

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"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," Dr Beatty continued.

"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.”

Clinics in Clare will take place at the below times and dates:

Thursday, July 25 – Kilrush Health Centre – 10am to 1pm

Wednesday, July 31 – Shannon Health Centre – 10am to 12.30pm

Wednesday, July 31 – Scariff Medical Centre – 2pm to 4pm

Thursday, August 1 – Ennis Hospital – 10am to 1pm

A list of Vaccination Clinics is available at hse.ie/vaccination-clinics, all clinics are walk-in or you can book an appointment.

Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications, particularly in children under one year of age, pregnant women, and the immunosuppressed.

Two doses of MMR Vaccine in your lifetime are needed to give full protection.

The campaign focuses on delivering the MMR vaccine to key groups, who may have missed their vaccines in the past including children, young adults and health and care workers.

Those eligible are those born in Ireland from January 1st, 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.

MMR vaccines are available free of charge from GPs to all groups, but primarily to those under 18 years, and from HSE community clinics for eligible people.