Uptake of childhood vaccine against measles falls in Doncaster since the pandemic

The growth of 'vaccine hesitancy' has led the UK Health Security Agency to launch campaigns aiming to boost uptake as cases of measles and whooping cough are surging across the UK.

As part of our ongoing series looking at how the Covid pandemic has changed society, figures from the UKHSA show 84.2 per cent of five-year-olds in Doncaster had both doses of the MMR vaccine last year. The jab protects measles, mumps and rubella.

The uptake was down from 84.7 per cent in 2019-20, before the pandemic hit.

It comes as there have been 730 cases of measles in England since October last year. The current outbreak was initially in Birmingham and the West Midlands – but cases have now also been identified in the North West, London, East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Steve Russell, NHS England’s director of vaccinations and screening, said: "Measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world and can cause serious harm to adults and children of all ages.

"But the NHS MMR vaccine gives life-long protection against becoming seriously unwell, so with cases of measles on the rise, it is not worth the risk of going without this vital protection."

Across England, uptake of the MMR vaccine has fallen from 86.8 per cent in 2019-20 to 84.5 per cent last year.

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, consultant medical epidemiologist for immunisation at UKHSA, added: "Anyone who is not vaccinated against measles can catch it.

"Being unvaccinated also means you risk spreading the disease to others, including those at greatest risk of becoming seriously ill – like infants, who aren’t able to receive their MMR vaccine until their first birthday, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system."

Similarly, uptake of the six-in-one vaccine – which protects against whooping cough and polio – has fallen nationally from 93.8 per cent among two-year-olds before the pandemic to 92.6 per cent in 2022-23.

However, in Doncaster, uptake of the six-in-one jab remained the same at 93.8 per cent last year.

Whooping cough cases are on the rise as well, with 553 confirmed in England in January alone. This is compared with 858 cases for the whole of last year.

Dr Amirthalingam said: "Whooping cough can affect people of all ages but for very young infants, it can be particularly serious.

"However, vaccinating pregnant women is highly effective in protecting babies from birth until they can receive their own vaccines.

"Parents can also help protect their children by ensuring they receive their vaccines at the right time or catching up as soon as possible if they have missed any."