Action needed to fight measles as 60,000 children remain unvaccinated by their second birthday
- 40,000 children had not received a single dose of MMR vaccine by the age of five
- This is an estimated increase of almost 10,000 compared to 2019/20 figures
Urgent action was demanded last night to tackle the threat of measles, amid warnings that more than 50,000 children were left unvaccinated by their second birthday last year.
Labor warned of a significant drop in MMR vaccination rates in England compared to pre-pandemic levels.
They cited figures that last year an estimated 60,000 children were no longer vaccinated against measles by their second birthday.
The NHS advice is that all children should have received a dose of the MMR vaccine before the age of one.
The research also found that 40,000 children had not received a single dose of the MMR vaccine by the age of five – an estimated increase of almost 10,000 on 2019/20 numbers.
Urgent action was demanded last night to combat the threat of measles, amid warnings that more than 50,000 children were left unvaccinated by their second birthday last year (stock image)
NHS advice is that all children should have received a dose of the MMR vaccine before the age of one (stock image)
The analysis comes after the number of measles cases in England rose sharply, with 149 confirmed cases between January 1 and September 30 – compared to 54 in all of 2022.
Last night, Health Minister Karin Smyth said: 'Worrying numbers of children are completely unprotected against measles, leaving many at risk of serious illness as cases rise.
'Vaccines provide vital protection, but the government has failed to maintain MMR vaccination rates, instead overseeing a sharp decline in children's health care.'
She said Labour's ambition was 'to innovate children's healthcare to ensure as many children as possible receive protection from infectious diseases'.
In a statement last night, the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'We urge parents and carers to check that their children are up to date with their vaccines and if not, they should make an appointment to catch up .
The spokesperson added: 'It is crucial that routine childhood vaccinations are up to date as this remains one of our best defenses for public health.
'The UK has a world-leading offer and we have run multiple catch-up campaigns following the Covid 19 pandemic to improve coverage – including a national catch-up campaign for MMR and London-specific campaigns for MMR and polio.'