Parents of children aged between 10 and 16 are being urged to waste no more time in getting their offspring vaccinated against measles.

NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group estimates several thousand youngsters have either not been immunised, or have only had one of their two MMR jabs. GPs are writing to parents across Maidstone, Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks encouraging them to make appointments.

The campaign has been launched in response to a nationwide increase of measles, although only one case has been reported in Kent.

Chairman of NHS West Kent Dr Bob Bowes said: “Measles is not a mild illness and is extremely infectious. It is very unpleasant and can lead to children becoming very seriously ill, and in very rare cases, to their death.”

Kent and Medway screening and immunisation lead Dr John Rodriguez pointed out while there was “no immediate cause for concern”, it would be wise to take precautions now.

He said: “Take-up rates for MMR immunisation in Kent are higher than the national average but we would like even more children to be protected.”

He added both doses of the MMR vaccination were needed to give children maximum protection.

Experts have attributed the rise in measles cases to the proportion of unprotected 10 to 16-year-olds who missed out on vaccination due to fears in the late 1990s and early 2000s that it was linked to autism.