PARENTS have been urged to get their children jabbed against measles amid fears tens of thousands could fall sick this half term.
Almost 100 cases have been confirmed in England so far this year — the vast majority in , with some needing treatment.
Officials estimate 160,000 could be struck down with measlesCredit: PA
The uptake of vaccination against childhood diseases has slumped to a ten-year low in EnglandCredit: Alamy
Almost two thirds of those (61) are in London, where uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella () jab is among the lowest in the country.
With families mixing and travelling abroad to countries battling outbreaks this half-term, experts warn the virus could rip through communities.
“Patchy vaccination coverage is allowing measles to spread and is putting children at risk of serious complications, and at risk of death,” Dr Ben Kasstan-Dabush, a global health expert from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), warned.
In July last year, a .
In the Big Smoke, just 70 per cent of children have had both MMR doses by age five – falling to as low as 58 per cent in Hackney, north-east London.
To prevent outbreaks, uptake of both doses needs to reach 95 per cent, the World Health Organization () says.
“The immediate priority is to ensure that all children catch-up on any missed vaccinations,” Dr Ben added.
“Half-term brings a risk of national and international travel, allowing the virus to circulate.
“Parents must ensure that their school-age children are brought up to schedule as soon as possible to avoid prolonged outbreaks, and to avoid parents having to take extended care leave from work.”
Since the start of the year there have been 96 confirmed cases of measles in England, three-quarters affecting children under ten.
Some children have been treated in hospital, according to The Sunday Times .
Enfield, in north London, has had the highest number of cases, with 34 children in the area having contracted measles, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said. They said this is likely an underestimate.If measles becomes entrenched in the capital, it could spiral into a major public health crisis across Greater London, as the virus exploits low MMR jab rates.
Modelling suggests that between 40,000 and 160,000 people in London could be infected in a large outbreak.
That could mean thousands of children needing hospital treatment, and preventable deaths.
Earlier this week, some local health chiefs in several London boroughs – including Enfield – warned that children may be in isolation if they come into contact with someone with the bug if they are unvaccinated.
It comes after the UK was stripped of its ‘measles-free’ status after 3,681 confirmed cases of the infection in 2024, the Britain has seen in almost a decade.
Last year, England recorded 957 cases, following large outbreaks and one death.
Countries are only labelled “measles-free” by global health officials if cases are rare, imported from abroad and quickly brought under control, a threshold the UK .
Spain and Austria were among several other popular European holiday hotspots who also lost the same status, as cases of the bug surged globally.
The uptake of vaccination against childhood diseases has slumped to a ten-year low in England.
This includes jabs against measles and as well as and .
In 2024, there were almost 15,000 cases of whooping cough and 11 babies died.
A government campaign promoting childhood vaccination is to start this week, including adverts on social media, YouTube and radio to counter vaccine scepticism.
“It’s concerning to see more children getting measles,” Sir Keir Starmer has said, in a comment shared on X .
“Vaccines are safe, effective and can be life saving. We’re urging all parents to check their children are up to date with their recommended vaccinations.”
The PM added: “Our country expects its leaders to stand firmly behind science to protect our children, not to give oxygen to conspiracy theories.
“Although often thought of as mild, measles can be especially dangerous for people with weaker immune systems, like children.”
It is highly contagious, as it spreads easily when an infected person breathes, or sneezes.
It tends to infect the respiratory tract before spreading throughout the body, causing a high temperature, , and .
In rare cases, measles can result in serious complications such as blindness, and , which can prove fatal.
In very rare cases, one in every 25,000 unvaccinated children who catch will develop subacute sclerosing panencephalitis , a progressive neurological complication of the measles virus.
The condition usually emerges years after the initial infection, often between six and ten years later, following a long symptom-free period.
It begins subtly, with personality changes or problems at school, before progressing to memory loss, muscle jerks and seizures as the virus slowly damages brain tissue.
Over time, the inflammation causes widespread neurological decline, and in most cases the disease is ultimately fatal.
As of the beginning of January, the NHS replaced the MMR vaccine in Britain with the – a vaccine that also gives protection against chickenpox.
The second dose, which was historically given at age three, is now being offered to children earlier at age 18 months in order to boost uptake and immunity from a young age, according to the UKHSA.
Dr Amit Aggarwal, medical director at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, said: “Measles outbreaks are a serious concern and underline the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage to protect individuals and communities.
“Vaccination rates have been declining for a number of years, but we believe the NHS vaccination strategy and the NHS 10-Year Plan have the right approaches to address this, with measures such as vaccination catch-ups, and an expanded role for health visitors.
Expert answers MMR questions
TO help deal with parental concerns, Professor Helen Bedford, a specialist in child public health at University College London, tells you all you need to know about the MMR vaccine.
When is the vaccine given?
The MMR vaccine is part of the NHS Routine Childhood Immunisation Programme.
It’s typically given via a single shot into the muscle of the thigh or the upper arm.
The first dose is offered to children at the age of one (babies younger than this may have some protection from antibodies passed on from their mother, which start to wear off at about 12 months).
The second dose is then offered to children aged three years and four months before they start school.
To check to see if you or your child have had the recommended two doses of MMR, you can look at their/your Personal Child Health Record, also known as the red book.
If you can’t find the red book, call your and ask them for your vaccine records.
You are never too old to catch up with your MMR vaccine.
If you see from your that you did not receive two doses as a child, you can book a vaccination appointment.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective at preventing measles, mumps and rubella.
In the UK, we started using the jab in 1988, so we have decades of experience using it.
The jab is made from much-weakened live versions of the three viruses.
This triggers the to produce antibodies that are protective in the face of future exposure.
It takes up to three weeks after having the vaccine to be fully protected.
Like any vaccine, the MMR jab can cause side-effects, which are usually mild and go away very quickly.
This includes rash, high temperature, loss of appetite and a general feeling of being unwell for about two or three days.
There is also a very small chance children can have a severe allergic reaction.
But compared to the complications of , there is no contest that vaccination is by far the safest and most effective route to take.
Why was it linked with autism?
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a now-discredited paper in medical journal The Lancet.
The paper suggested that the MMR vaccine might be associated with and a form of .
It led to a sharp decline in rates.
Even at the time, the research was considered poor.
The Lancet retracted the story in 2010 after Wakefield’s article was found “dishonest” by the General Medical Council.
He was later struck off and subsequently, in 2011, the British Medical Journal declared the story fraudulent.
Does it contain ingredients from pigs?
There are two types of MMR jabs: One with gelatin (animal/pig collagen), and one without it.
For some religious groups, the inclusion of pig products is not acceptable.
Those people should ask for the vaccine without gelatin.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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