Rotavirus: Babies To Get 'Vomiting Bug' Jab

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky reporter

Babies will now be given a new vaccine to protect them against rotavirus, one of the most common causes of diarrhoea in young children.

The vaccination programme will start today and will be given to all babies aged between two and three months.

According to Public Health England it will protect more than 675,000 babies from the highly infectious bug which causes diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and dehydration.

At present, almost every child will have had the viral infection by the age of five and it is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in infants and very young children.

The vaccine is already routinely used in many other countires

Children will receive the vaccine orally as two separate doses of liquid drops,.

Dr Paul Cosford, medical director at Public Health England, said: "Rotavirus is a highly infectious and unpleasant illness that affects thousands of young children each year.

"While most recover within a few days, nearly one in five will need to see their doctor, and one in 10 will end up in hospital as a result.

"Although good hygiene measures can help prevent spread of the disease, the best way to protect your baby from catching rotavirus is to get them vaccinated."

Vaccination experts believe the immunisation programme will halve the number of vomiting and diarrhoea cases caused by rotavirus, meaning fewer children end up going to their GP or to hospital.

GP Sarah Jarvis told Sky News: "The vaccination has been routinely used for many years in other countries. Overall it looks extremely safe.

"It's given by a couple of drops in the mouth and it's a weakened form of the virus which you'd be exposed to anyway, but this way you're being exposed to a weakened form so you don't get the symptoms but you do build up an immunity."

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