The Health Security Agency in Britain has issued a warning stating that measles vaccination rates in certain parts of London are dangerously low, putting the city at risk of tens of thousands of measles cases if immunization coverage is not increased promptly.
According to the agency, fewer than 70% of children in certain groups in London have received their first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, despite the fact that two doses are required for protection. Measles is highly contagious, and experts estimate that at least 95% of the population must be vaccinated to prevent new outbreaks.
The Health Security Agency has stated that while the risk of an outbreak across the UK is low, current immunization levels in London indicate that “a measles outbreak of between 40,000 and 160,000 cases could occur in the capital.” As of June 30, there have been 128 cases of measles in Britain this year, compared to 54 cases last year, with over 60% of the cases occurring in London.
To address this issue, the UK’s National Health Service is launching a targeted national campaign to increase measles vaccination rates in communities with the lowest coverage.
Authorities have highlighted that individuals aged 19 to 25 are at a particularly high risk of contracting measles, as many of them may have missed vaccinations due to unfounded claims made by British physician Andrew Wakefield in 1998 linking the MMR vaccine to autism. Wakefield’s research was later discredited, and he was banned from medical practice for misconduct. However, the anti-vaccination movement he spurred had a long-term impact on immunization rates in the UK and elsewhere.
Measles vaccination rates have also dropped globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization reported last November that approximately 40 million children worldwide missed a measles vaccine dose in 2021. In Europe, cases have risen in countries such as Russia, Austria, Serbia, and the UK this year, according to the WHO.
Measles is an airborne disease characterized by symptoms such as cough, red eyes, and a facial rash. Serious complications are more common in children under five and adults over 30 and include blindness, encephalitis, and pneumonia.
In 2021, measles claimed the lives of over 128,000 individuals, primarily children under five, according to the WHO.