UKHSA issues vaccine alert over illness that can turn serious

Health experts have issued an urgent vaccine warning over an illness that can turn “serious”. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging people to ensure their children are protected against measles.

This call comes as the UK has seen a decline in the uptake of the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, in recent years. As a result, many countries, including the UK, have seen a rise in measles cases.

The disease, which is typically characterised by a rash, usually clears up after a week. But in serious cases it can go on to cause a number of dangerous complications such as pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures (fits).

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This can even prove fatal and earlier this month it was reported that a child had died of measles in Liverpool. In an update posted to social media platform X, the UKHSA said: “Measles can be a serious illness.

“More than one in 10 children haven't had the MMR vaccine and they need two doses to get full protection. Doses are usually given at one year old and three years four months old, but you can catch up missed doses later.”

On its website, the UKHSA further warned that there were 2,911 laboratory confirmed measles cases in England last year, the highest number of cases recorded annually since 2012.

Most of these cases were in unvaccinated children under the age of 10. There has also been a resurgence of measles in Europe after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Measles cases in Europe doubled in 2024 compared to the previous year, with a staggering 127,350 reported cases. This figure represents the highest number since 1997.

Outbreaks have been documented in several European nations, including France, Italy, Spain and Germany. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also disclosed that Romania, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Nigeria currently have among the largest number of measles cases globally.

The importance of vaccines

The UKHSA has linked the surge in cases across England to a decrease in vaccination rates. In a briefing earlier this year, it highlighted: "In England, the decline of the uptake of childhood vaccinations including MMR in the past decade (well below the WHO 95 per cent target) means that many thousands of children are left unprotected with the risk of outbreaks linked to nurseries and schools."

London is at the bottom of the league for MMR vaccinations in comparison to other regions in England, with a five-year uptake rate of just 73.3 per cent against the English average of 83.9 per cent. The UKHSA warned: "The UKHSA is concerned that more outbreaks may occur again on a larger scale this summer as families with unvaccinated children and adults travel to countries where there are outbreaks.

"It is important that anyone travelling for summer holidays or to visit family, especially parents of young children, check that all members of their family have received both their MMR vaccines."

The first dose of MMR is currently offered to infants when they turn one and the second dose to pre-school children when they are around three years and four months old. This is due to change, however, so children turning one on July 1, and 18 months on January 1, 2026, will get their second MMR dose earlier - at 18 months instead of three years four months.

Your GP surgery should contact you when your child is due the vaccine. You should speak to your GP surgery if:

• You have not been contacted to get your child's MMR vaccine
• Your child has missed their MMR vaccine, or you're not sure if they've had both doses of the vaccine
• You think you might need the MMR vaccine
• Your child has a temperature and is due to have the vaccine – they may need to wait until they're feeling better before having the vaccine
• You need to change a vaccination appointment

Symptoms

The primary indicators of measles include high fever, coughing, sneezing, red and sore watery eyes, followed by a rash after these initial symptoms. Without prompt attention, measles may result in severe and sometimes deadly complications such as pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, and seizures (fits).

You should request an urgent GP appointment or ring 111 if you suspect that you or your child may have measles.