THE number of children being given the recommended vaccinations against a range of illnesses such as measles, mumps and rubella in the borough is higher than the national and Greater Manchester average, new figures show.

The figures released earlier this month by NHS England were for the three months from July to September.

In childhood vaccinations that feature on the national immunisation programme – which includes diphtheria, tetanus, polio and meningitis C – the borough once again reached the national target levels for the number of children having the course of vaccinations to offer protection from the serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.

Professor Kate Ardern, director of public health at Wigan Council, said: “We know that most parents are aware of the risks of not having their child immunised from these serious and potentially fatal conditions could bring.

"We would like to thank those who have made sure their child is protected against many of these illnesses, which thankfully are now rare due to the success of the vaccination campaign.

“The immunisation programme is so important as it helps to protect children and I would urge parents to make sure their child has their vaccinations.”