Conor Stewart
Research expert covering health & pharmaceuticals in the UK & Europe
Get in touch with us nowSituation in the UK
In 2020/21, Scotland had the highest share across UK countries of children receiving the full dose of the MMR vaccine by their fifth birthday, with a rate of 92.2 percent. The vaccination rate in Scotland was slightly above the respective rates in Wales and Northern Ireland, but much higher than in England, where 85.7 percent of five-year-olds had received the full course of the MMR vaccine. In England, the share of children receiving the full course of MMR immunization has been dropping since 2014. Furthermore, the UK overall had one of the lowest immunization rates in Europe for one-year-olds receiving their first dose of the vaccine.Attitudes towards vaccines in the UK
The current vaccination levels in the UK, particularly with the MMR vaccine, can be reflected in recent insights of parents’ attitudes towards vaccines. While the majority of surveyed parents in England are unconcerned about their children receiving the MMR vaccine, there was a big enough share of respondents who had apprehensions that vaccination levels could and are affected. The biggest concerns reported about the MMR vaccine included potential side effects, unknown long-term effects, and hearing negative stories about vaccines from other parents. These concerns manifest into parents not vaccinating their children against measles, mumps, and rubella. Healthcare services and governments have a responsibility to allay fears through messaging and campaigns to ensure as many children as possible are protected from preventable diseases.
