Nearly half of children in some parts of England haven’t had both MMR jabs by the time they turn five, concerning figures showed today.
Just 57.2 per cent of youngsters that age in Kensington and Chelsea in west London are fully-protected against deadly measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
Health chiefs say it is vital uptake of both jabs is at least 95 per cent, to prevent outbreaks of the highly infectious conditions, which spread easily between the unvaccinated.
Nationally, the figure stands at 85.2 per cent—a slight uptick on late 2024 but still one of the lowest in a decade.
Experts today labelled the figures, released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as concerning and urged parents to vaccinate their children to avoid the ‘life-long consequences’ of a potential measles infection.
British health chiefs have already sounded the alarm over a spike in cases; last year saw the highest number of infections recorded annually since 2012.
Earlier this year, the US also recorded two deaths from measles—both were unvaccinated. They are the first fatalities from the disease in the nation since 2015.
The MMR jab is first offered to children aged one, with the second dose given soon after they turn three.
Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles. A few days later, some people develop small white spots on the inside of their cheeks and the back of their lips
Some 85.2 per cent had received both doses, at the same age, up 0.5 per cent on the previous quarter
Two doses offer up to 99 per cent protection against the conditions, which can lead to meningitis, hearing loss and problems during pregnancy.
According to the UKHSA data, between January and March 2025, the proportion of children aged five who had received the first dose of the MMR jab rose 0.3 per cent on the previous quarter to 92.4 per cent.
Some 85.2 per cent had received both doses, at the same age, up 0.5 per cent on the previous quarter.
London remains one of the least vaccinated parts of the country — taking up a staggering 19 of the top 20 spots for low MMR jab uptake.
After Kensington and Chelsea, the lowest uptake rates for both doses among five-year-olds came in Hammersmith and Fulham (58.7 per cent), Hackney (58.8 per cent), Westminster (63.6 per cent) and Enfield (64.2 per cent).
Outside of London, Nottingham was worst at 71.4 per cent.
This was followed by Manchester and Birmingham, both logging rates of 75.8 per cent respectively, and Liverpool (76.4 per cent).
By contrast, almost all children had received both doses of the MMR vaccine by the age of five in Rutland (97.6 per cent) and Northumberland (95 per cent).
Experts today labelled the figures, released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as concerning and urged parents to vaccinate their children to avoid the ‘life-long consequences’ of a potential measles infection
According to the UKHSA data, between January and March 2025, the proportion of children aged five who had received the first dose of the MMR jab rose 0.3 per cent on the previous quarter to 92.4 per cent
Dr Doug Brown, Chief Executive of the British Society for Immunology, told MailOnline: ‘Vaccination is the safest and most effective way to protect your child against measles.
‘Measles is a serious disease that can make children very ill and cause life-long consequences.
‘In the 2024 measles outbreak in England, 1 in 5 children who contracted the disease needed to be admitted to hospital for treatment.
‘To be fully protected against contracting measles, it is essential that children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine at the correct timepoints.
‘We need to redouble efforts to implement the NHS Vaccine Strategy and engage with communities to ensure that all children receive the MMR vaccine and are protected against these nasty diseases.
‘It is never too late to get vaccinated—if you’re concerned that your child has missed out on a vaccination, contact your GP surgery.’
Professor Stephen Griffin, an infectious disease expert at the University of Leeds, also said: ‘The high infectivity of measles means we need to maintain vaccine coverage at around 92-95 per cent to prevent outbreaks. We are well below that now.
He also warned people to not underestimate the virus—while it normally causes cold and flu-like symptoms, it does have the potential to kill.
London remains one of the least vaccinated parts of the country — taking up a staggering 19 of the top 20 spots for low MMR jab uptake
‘It causes unpleasant symptoms even if relatively mild, but can also lead to pneumonia, encephalitis and other complications,’ he said.
‘In unvaccinated people, it can also cause a lethal progressive disease in the brain many years after initial infection, known as sub-acute sclerosing pan encephalitis,’ he said.
It comes as health officials in the UK and Europe have already sounded the alarm this year over a ‘concerning’ spike in measles cases.
Latest figures show there have been 420 confirmed measles cases in England this year, with almost 200 alone logged in April and May.
More than a third of these cases (39 per cent) were in London, with 14 per cent in the South West and East of England respectively.
In February, UKHSA consultant Dr Alasdair Wood, labelled the ‘rapid rise in cases’ within the South West as ‘concerning’.
Measles can infect nine in ten unjabbed children in a classroom if just one classmate is infectious.
In March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed rates in Europe had doubled in the last year alone, with low uptake of the MMR vaccine threatening to further the spread.
More than 127,350 cases were reported by member states in 2024, double the 61,070 reported in 2023.
By comparison the figure stood at just 4,400 in 2016.
In a plea to Government’s across the continent, the UN health agency warned the figures were a ‘wake-up call’ and called on ‘every country to step up efforts to reach under-vaccinated communities’.
But UKHSA data today showed that uptake among five-year-olds also rose slightly for other jabs.
The first and booster doses of the four-in-one vaccine, also known as DTaP/IPV, rose by 1 per cent between January and March, up to 82.7 per cent.
The jab protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio.
Uptake of the Hib/MenC booster increased 0.5 per cent to 90.3 per cent among the same age group.
The single jab is given to one-year-old babies to reduce the risk from haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and meningitis C — serious and potentially fatal infections.
In another rise, 93.4 per cent of five-year-olds had their six-in-one jab, also known as DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB—up 0.1 per cent on the previous quarter.
It reduces the chance of becoming seriously ill from diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hib and hepatitis B.
The WHO recommends that, nationally, at least 95 per cent of children have jabs for diseases that can be stopped by vaccines, in order to prevent outbreaks.
Measles, which produces flu-like symptoms as well as the tell-tale rash, can cause very serious and even fatal health complications if it spreads to the lungs or the brain.
One in five children who get infected will be hospitalised, according to estimates, with one in 15 developing life-threatening complications like meningitis or sepsis.
