Parents are being urged to get their children vaccinated as new NHS figures show nearly one in six had not received both doses of the MMR vaccine by the age of five.
Two doses of the vaccine give long-term protection against measles, mumps and rubella, which can cause serious illness and complications such as blindness and meningitis.
The latest annual data on vaccinations, published today by NHS England, shows 16.1% of children who turned five between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 had not received both doses of the MMR vaccine – the lowest level since 2010-11, although 91.9% of five-year-olds had been given at least one dose.
The figures also show one in nine children (11.1%) who had their second birthday in 2023-24 did not get the first dose of the MMR vaccine, and one in 12 babies (8.8%) had not received all three doses of the 6-in-1 vaccine, which includes protection against whooping cough and other serious diseases such as diphtheria and polio, by the age of one.
The NHS and GP practices have been sending reminders to the parents and carers of children not fully vaccinated, encouraging them to ensure their little ones are protected.
So far, NHS efforts have led to thousands more young people getting protected – with data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showing over 13% of previously unvaccinated children had one dose of the MMR jab between August 2023 and April 2024.
The NHS is encouraging parents and carers to check their children are protected against these illnesses and, if not, to contact their GP practice to book an appointment.
