FAMILIES in Oxfordshire are being encouraged to get children and teenagers to have the MMR vaccine if they are not already protected.

A renewed call was made yesterday to increase uptake of the vaccine which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

The aim of the latest programme by Public Health England is to prevent measles outbreaks by vaccinating as many unvaccinated and partially vaccinated 10- to 16-year-olds as possible in time for the new school year in September.

It follows high numbers of measles cases in the first three months of 2013, reaching 587 in England by the end of March, although there were none in Oxfordshire.

In 2011 there were 24 cases and 17 last year, with six of these cases in Oxfordshire.

In Swansea, South Wales, a 25-year-old man died after suffering measles earlier this month in an outbreak affecting more than 800 people.

Vaccinations can be organised through your GP. For further information visit www.gov.uk/phe