Overview

• England has reported 674 laboratory-confirmed measles infections since January, the highest annual tally since 2012
• Child MMR uptake fell to 88.8% in Q4 2024/25, marking the lowest rate in over ten years and well below the WHO’s 95% herd immunity benchmark
• Local coverage gaps are stark in areas like Hackney, where just 60.8% of five-year-olds have received both MMR doses
• Experts caution that measles can cause “immune amnesia,” weakening children’s defences against other infections for years
• UKHSA and regional offices have launched accelerated summer catch-up drives urging parents to book overdue MMR appointments before schools reopen and holiday travel increases