A rise in a number of viruses has been listed as an emerging threat to public health in Salford and Greater Manchester as fewer parents are choosing to vaccinate their children. Polio, measles, hepatitis, flu and meningitis - as well as other viruses we cannot vaccinate against, such as scarlet fever - are all rising, the Health and Wellbeing Board was told on Tuesday May 10.
While a number of these recognised threats to health are being handled on a national scale by the NHS, the Salford Health Protection Board are looking at ways they can better prevent outbreaks by working with local partners. Deputy director of public health for Salford, Gillian Mclauchlan, explained that the public health team are in communication with the University of Salford and the colleges in the city, where meningitis is most likely to spread, in order to promote vaccination.
“Covid testing has more or less ceased. We have developed an early warning system. That is updated on a weekly basis and we are currently measuring outbreaks in certain settings.”,” Ms Mclauchlan told the board.
