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FAQs
Please find below some frequently asked questions and answers on Clarion Health's Single Vaccination Programme (Measles, Mumps, Rubella).
| FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions | |
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1. Why should my child have the vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella singly rather than combined in the MMR? 2. When should my child have the course of single vaccinations? 3. My child had the MMR two years ago and is now due for the booster. Can you administer the single vaccinations now? 4. I am less concerned about mumps and rubella - why can't my child have just the measles vaccination? 5. I am worried about the reports of measles outbreaks. Can my child have the measles vaccination first? 6. What if my child has already had one of the diseases? 7. What if my child has already had one of the single vaccinations? 8. Are there any medical problems or conditions which might preclude my child from having the single vaccinations as opposed to the MMR? 9. Suppose I'm pregnant. Can my child still be vaccinated safely? 10. Who will administer the vaccinations? 11. Should I tell my GP I am considering single vaccinations for my child? I have heard that some GPs are removing children from their patient lists if they have not had the MMR. 12. Don't you need to obtain my child's medical history before you can safely administer the vaccinations? 13. How do I enrol my child in Clarion Health's Single Vaccination Programme? 14. How much does the Single Vaccination Programme cost? 15. When do I pay? 16. My child has already had one of the single vaccines. Do I still need to pay the full Programme fee? 17. I've heard about the supply problems with vaccines. What if you run out of vaccine just before my child's appointment? 18. Are the vaccines you use licensed? 19. What about the cold chain? 20. I am still not sure about enrolling my child on the Single Vaccination Programme. Can you help me decide? 21. I have decided in principle that I want the Single Vaccination Programme for my child; however I still have some questions and concerns about its suitability. Is there someone I can talk to before I enrol? 22. Do I get any refund if the course of vaccinations cannot be completed? 23. Is it possible for my child to still catch one of the diseases despite having been vaccinated? | |
| 1. Why should my child have the vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella singly rather than combined in the MMR? | |
| Although there is still no clear evidence that the MMR is harmful, we recognise the increasing anxiety among parents concerning the safety of a vaccine which combines three live vaccines in one. Accordingly Clarion Health's single vaccine MMR programme gives children the immunity and protection that they need against these diseases, offering the vaccinations separately with an interval of usually six weeks between each (the minimum period between childhood vaccinations recommended by the World Health Organisation is 3 weeks). | |
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| 2. When should my child have the course of single vaccinations? | |
| At exactly the same time as your child would have the MMR - that is, between the ages of 12 and 15 months and once again between the ages of 3 and 4. However, we do see children outside these age ranges, due to delays in decision making and other issues. | |
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| 3. My child had the MMR two years ago and is now due for the booster. Can you administer the single vaccinations now? | |
| Yes. The arguments surrounding single vaccination do not change just because your child had the MMR first time round. | |
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| 4. I am less concerned about mumps and rubella - why can't my child have just the measles vaccination? | |
| We believe that it is every child's right to be protected against infectious diseases and that no child should be denied immunisation without thought as to the consequences, both for the individual child and for the community. Accordingly we generally do not offer selective vaccination, but rather a single vaccination alternative to the combined vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella. Please contact us should you wish to discuss this. | |
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| 5. I am worried about the reports of measles outbreaks. Can my child have the measles vaccination first? | |
| Yes. When we enrol your child on the Programme we will write to you to confirm that we have allocated vaccine from our stocks to your child so you know that it is available to be administered when you visit. Vaccines are normally given in the order measles then mumps then rubella. However, please discuss with the doctor if you wish this order to be changed. | |
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| 6. What if my child has already had one of the diseases? | |
| These childhood diseases are sometimes difficult to recognise and because doctors are not infallible in diagnosing them it is accepted best practice to administer the vaccines regardless of any supposed previous contact with the diseases. | |
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| 7. What if my child has already had one of the single vaccinations? | |
| We can make arrangements to administer only the remaining vaccinations. There is a section in our registration form where you can indicate which vaccination(s) your child has already had. | |
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| 8. Are there any medical problems or conditions which might preclude my child from having the single vaccinations as opposed to the MMR? | |
| No. If your child is eligible and due to have the MMR we can safely administer the single vaccinations. Egg intolerance or an allergy to egg protein is quite common amongst children of this age and is something that parents are concerned about. It is very rare for an allergy or intolerance to eggs preventing these vaccines being given safely. | |
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| 9. Suppose I'm pregnant. Can my child still be vaccinated safely? | |
| Yes. There is no danger of the virus being transmitted by individuals who have been vaccinated. Children are not infectious to other children or adults when they have had the vaccines. | |
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| 10. Who will administer the vaccinations? | |
| Your child's vaccinations will be administered by one of our doctors or nurses. | |
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| 11. Should I tell my GP I am considering single vaccinations for my child? I have heard that some GPs are removing children from their patient lists if they have not had the MMR. | |
| Most family doctors are now understanding of the fact that some parents have lost faith with the triple MMR vaccine. All doctors are united in their wishes to see all of our children vaccinated. At each visit to Clarion Health, we will give you a letter for your GP containing the details of the vaccine given (name, batch number, expiry date). In addition we will certify the details of the vaccine in your child's red book. | |
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| 12. Don't you need to obtain my child's medical history before you can safely administer the vaccinations? | |
| All of the information we need from you in order to screen your child safely for the vaccinations is contained in the Registration Form. If we identify any responses in your form which require further investigation before your child is enrolled in the programme our doctor will contact you immediately. | |
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| 13. How do I enrol my child in Clarion Health's Single Vaccination Programme? | |
| The first step is to register by completing the Registration Form and returning it to us. Registration is free, as is any subsequent telephone consultation which our doctor may feel necessary before your child can be enrolled in the Programme. As soon as our doctor has approved your registration we will contact you to invite you to enrol your child and book your first appointment. We can normally offer you an appointment within a few weeks. | |
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| 14. How much does the Single Vaccination Programme cost? | |
| The cost for the measles and rubella vaccines is £220. | |
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| 15. When do I pay? | |
| When we enrol your child on the Programme we will ask you for a £50 deposit to enable us to order the vaccines for your child. We will telephone you to arrange your first appointment and will confirm this and the cost of the programme by letter. Payment (less any deposit already paid) can be made at your first visit, or spread over the first two appointments. | |
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| 16. My child has already had one of the single vaccines. Do I still need to pay the full Programme fee? | |
| No. The Programme fee will be reduced for each single vaccination your child has already had. | |
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| 17. I've heard about the supply problems with vaccines. What if you run out of vaccine just before my child's appointment? | |
| When you enrol your child on the programme, we place orders with our distributors for the 3 vaccines for your child. Vaccines normally arrive very promptly at the clinic. However, in certain unavoidable circumstances, vaccine supplies are not delivered to us as promised by our distributors. Should this be the case, we will notify you as soon as possible and proceed with any other vaccines your child is due. As soon as the clinic is in receipt of vaccines again, we would contact you to arrange an appointment. | |
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| 18. Are the vaccines you use licensed? | |
| The Department of Health does not license any pharmaceutical companies in the UK to produce separate vaccines. We purchase vaccines from suppliers who are licensed to import them into the UK. The vaccines are licensed in their country of origin, with the equivalent of our Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority. | |
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| 19. What about the cold chain? | |
| All the vaccines we use are transported to us in temperature-controlled containers. Once they reach us, the vaccines are checked and are then placed in our drug refrigerators, where they are stored between 2 to 8 degrees, away from light as specified in the data sheets provided by the manufacturers. | |
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| 20. I am still not sure about enrolling my child on the Single Vaccination Programme. Can you help me decide? | |
| Clarion Health offers you the opportunity to choose single vaccination over MMR, but the decision must be yours. To help inform your choice, we suggest you visit the Links section of this website, where further information on both the MMR and single vaccines can be found. | |
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| 21. I have decided in principle that I want the Single Vaccination Programme for my child; however I still have some questions and concerns about its suitability. Is there someone I can talk to before I enrol? | |
| Yes. Simply put an X in the box at the end of the registration form. Our doctor will call you to answer your questions and discuss your concerns before enrolling your child on the Programme. | |
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| 22. Do I get any refund if the course of vaccinations cannot be completed? | |
| The only circumstance in which we will be able to refund part of the fee is if our doctor considers that there are ongoing medical reasons why one or more of the vaccinations cannot safely be administered. | |
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| 23. Is it possible for my child to still catch one of the diseases despite having been vaccinated? | |
| Yes, in rare circumstances. The efficacy rates for both the single measles, mumps, rubella vaccines, and the MMR are between 95 - 97%. This means that a small percentage of vaccinees may fail to seroconvert after the primary dose. It is for this reason that revaccination prior to school-entry at 4 - 6 years of age is recommended. | |
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