NHS 'clearly failing' to ensure children get MMR vaccine amid measles risk, experts warn

"Children are at risk of measles because the NHS is clearly failing to ensure they get the MMR vaccine and its system needs an urgent overhaul, MPs and health experts have warned. Calls for major reform of how MMR jabs are delivered are growing as it emerged that vaccination rates in some parts of England are now on a par with those in Afghanistan and Malawi."

"More outbreaks of measles like the ongoing one in north London are inevitable, given that fewer than 60% of five-year-olds in some places have had both the recommended doses of MMR, public health specialists believe. Measles: how does it spread and how can I protect my child? In Enfield, where the outbreak has seen 60 children recently contract measles, of whom 15 have been hospitalised, the MMR vaccination rate is only 64.3%."

"The outbreak in Enfield has reignited public and medical anxiety about unvaccinated children getting measles, which can damage the brain and lungs, and in some cases lead to meningitis, blindness or even death. Five catch-up clinics have been set up in local community centres to vaccinate children who got either one or no doses of MMR when it was offered to their parents."

Vaccination rates for MMR have declined significantly over the last decade, leaving children at greater risk of measles. Some areas of England now have two-dose coverage comparable to Afghanistan and Malawi, with under-60% coverage in certain five-year-old cohorts. The Enfield outbreak infected 60 children, hospitalizing 15, amid a local MMR rate of 64.3%, far below the WHO recommended 95% threshold. Health experts warn more outbreaks are inevitable while uptake remains low. Catch-up clinics have been established and there are calls to expand vaccine delivery by allowing pharmacies to administer MMR alongside GP and school programs.

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