Face of Nation : In that year, 90.3% of children completed their first dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, compared to 91.2% in 2017-18. Only 86.4% of children received the second dose of the MMR by their fifth birthday. This is a decrease from 87.2% the previous year.
For the combined diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP/IPV/Hib) vaccine, coverage at 12 months was 92.1%, its lowest level since 2008-09. Across the 13 vaccinations, the drop varied from 0.2% to 1%.
Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director said: “Vaccines are a vital, life-saving part of our country’s public health and the numbers of children not being vaccinated is concerning.
“No one should be complacent about getting their own or their child’s jabs and so the NHS is taking action, with its partners, to combat the decline and to reverse the dangerous effects of complacency about vaccines.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in April that he would not rule out bold action including sending unvaccinated children home from school.
Speaking after the figures were announced he said: “Falling childhood vaccination rates are unacceptable. Everyone has a role to play in halting this decline. “The loss of our measles-free status is a stark reminder that devastating diseases can, and will, resurface.
“We need to be bold and I will not rule out action so that every child is properly protected.” The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 95% of children are immunised for elimination or control of a disease.
In August, Sky News released exclusive analysis and figures on global vaccination figures. At the time, Robin Nandy, Principal Adviser and Chief of Immunisation for UNICEF, said: “Ten, 20 years ago, I could not have expected us to be in this situation where we are today, with multiple outbreaks of measles in all different types of countries: You’re seeing them in high-income countries like in Britain.
“You’re seeing them in middle-income countries… low-income countries. “If we take our foot off the pedal, things can regress pretty quickly. It’s really important to drill the message home.
