MORE children are starting school without being given the correct vaccinations, it has been revealed.

Parents are being urged to check their child’s immunisation records, because Public Health England suggests that of the 680,000 five-year-olds starting school across the country, more than 30,000 are yet to receive their first MMR vaccine, leaving them at significant risk.

In Herefordshire, 15.8 per cent of school starters have not had their second dose of the vaccine (according to a January-March 2019 government report), making them more likely to catch the disease.

Measles, which once had elimination status in the UK, is becoming more common, with 991 confirmed cases in the country in 2019.

According to the NHS website, children are supposed to get their first dose of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) at the age of one and the second at three years and four months.

But about 90,000 five-year-olds in England may still need their second dose of the MMR vaccine and around 100,000 (around one in eight) may also need their four-in-one pre-school booster that protects against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.

However, it is not just young children who should be up to date with their vaccinations.

Leading meningitis charity Meningitis Now has also warned about the importance of the meningitis jab for young adults.

The charity has declared a ‘perfect storm’ of ignorance, risk and confusion around the lifesaving vaccine for young people that will, unless checked, lead to loss of life to meningitis in the coming year.

Here is the full list of vaccinations needed for all age groups:

Eight weeks – 6-in-1 vaccine Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine Rotavirus vaccine MenB vaccine

12 weeks – 6-in-1 vaccine (2nd dose) Rotavirus vaccine (2nd dose)

16 weeks – 6-in-1 vaccine (3rd dose) Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine (2nd dose) MenB (2nd dose)

1 year – Hib/MenC (1st dose) MMR (1st dose) Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine (3rd dose) MenB (3rd dose)

2 to 10 years – Flu vaccine (every year)

3 years and 4 months – MMR (2nd dose) 4-in-1 pre-school booster

12 to 13 years – HPV vaccine

14 years – 3-in-1 teenage booster MenACWY

65 years – Pneumococcal (PPV) vaccine

65 years (and every year after) – Flu vaccine

70 years – Shingles vaccine