Huge push to get children vaccinated against diseases like measles, polio and diphtheria as uptake rates fall to decade lows in the wake of Covid

‘If we are not vaccinated, we are not protected’ is the persuasive message underlying a new vaccination campaign for children.

The ad, aimed at children, aims to appeal directly to parents and increase the number of vaccinations for their children.

Take-up of the jab offer to young people had declined during Covid and had fallen significantly.

In the 20-second clip, children ask parents if their vaccines are up to date, while young people say: “We could become seriously ill, risking life-long disabilities,” if we are not protected.

“Our generation’s risk of diseases such as measles and whooping cough is increasing,” they tell their parents and caregivers, looking straight into the camera.

Experts said children’s voices ‘resonated’ with parents, adding they hoped it would be a reminder for people in their ‘busy lives’.

England’s routine childhood immunization program protects against 13 diseases, including measles, polio, diphtheria, mumps, whooping cough, rubella and meningococcal infections – which can lead to meningitis.

Dr. Vanessa Saliba, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said there has been a decline in vaccination rates over the past decade, which has “worsened” since the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said: ‘We are not meeting the World Health Organization targets of 95 per cent uptake for these vaccinations and this is important because if we don’t meet those targets we don’t have those levels of immunity in the population, then we will. see cases and outbreaks unfolding and children becoming unwell, hospitalized and suffering needlessly because these are all preventable infections.”

Ruairidh Villar, head of campaigns at UKHSA, said vaccines have “almost become a victim of their own success”, with most people having little direct knowledge of the “terrible childhood diseases that vaccines have prevented.”

He said: ‘Parents are increasingly busy with small children – toilet training, getting them ready for school – and, to be honest, vaccines don’t really play an important role in everyday life.

He added: ‘What we found from parents at all levels of vaccine confidence was that they were actually surprised by the risks, but open to hearing a message about the risks.

“What resonated with parents across the board was a message based on a sense of wanting to do the best for their children.”

When asked why vaccination rates have declined, Dr. Mary Ramsay, head of vaccination at the UKHSA, said that while there were some people who were ‘resistant’ to vaccination, her research found that the vast majority of people in favor of vaccination were ‘positive and more positive’.

She said: ‘We think most of the problem is about complacency and (parents) being very busy and not getting around to it.

“In addition, the schedule now (requires) quite a few more visits… under the current schedule, children visit their practices five times before school age, really to get their vaccines. And then they get a flu vaccine every year from the age of two onwards.’

The campaign, which starts on Monday, comes as the number of measles cases continues to rise.

The UKHSA said it has now recorded 650 cases since October – the majority of cases were recorded in Birmingham and the West Midlands, but clusters were now seen in other parts of the country including London, the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber and the north. West.

Dr. Saliba added: ‘Measles can be a serious infection that can cause children to become unwell and end up in hospital. It is therefore concerning that we have seen this increase in cases since October.”

Child vaccination rates in England have fallen across most measures in 2022/2023 compared to the previous year, according to NHS figures.

Uptake is particularly low in inner-city areas, experts say, with no vaccine meeting the 95 percent target by 2022/2023.

The percentage of children who received their first MMR shot at the age of five fell to 92.5 percent – ​​the lowest level since 2010/2011. About 84.5 percent had received their second MMR shot by the age of five.

This graph shows how vaccination rates have dramatically reduced measles cases compared to historic peaks, but experts are concerned about falling vaccination rates

The issue has come to a head in recent months with a rise in measles cases in England

Cold symptoms, such as fever, coughing and a runny or stuffy nose, are usually the first sign of measles. A few days later, some people develop small white spots on the inside of their cheeks and the back of their lips. The characteristic rash of measles also develops, usually starting on the face and behind the ears, before spreading to the rest of the body.

Meanwhile, 93.2 percent of five-year-olds had received the five-in-one jab – which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (also known as Hib).

Professor Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of UKHSA, said: ‘We urgently need a reversal of the decline in childhood vaccination rates to protect our communities.

‘With this campaign, we especially appeal to parents to check the vaccination status of their children and to make an appointment if their children have missed vaccinations.

She added: ‘The ongoing measles outbreak we are seeing is a reminder of the very real threat.

‘Although most of the country is protected, in some areas there are still large numbers of children who are still not protected from preventable diseases. It’s not just their own health that can suffer, but other unvaccinated people around them, such as school friends, family and people in their community, can also develop serious infections.

“Unless uptake improves, we will see the diseases that these vaccines protect against reemerge and cause more severe illness.”