The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning to parents and guardians on the dangers of children missing routine vaccinations.

The agency has urged parents and guardians to ensure children are up to date with all routine childhood immunisations. This includes polio, and measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations.

The warning comes as recent data shows that vaccine coverage for young children decreased last year, across almost all programmes. Vaccination rates have been falling for several years, with the pandemic likely to have contributed to this.

The WHO recommends vaccination coverage of 95 per cent to prevent the spread of serious diseases such as measles and polio. However, the latest stats from UKHSA and NHS Digital show that only 89.2 per cent of two year olds had had their first MMR dose.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: "Measles is highly contagious and can be dangerous, and it is extremely worrying that we are seeing levels of uptake of the MMR vaccine falling among young children. It is also vitally important that children get their polio vaccinations to help prevent the risk of paralysis.

"I would urge parents to check that all children are up to date with their vaccines, and if not to get them booked in as soon as possible to make sure they have maximum protection against what can be terrible diseases.

"Childhood vaccines also boost population immunity levels, helping prevent outbreaks, so by taking up all vaccinations for our children, we play our part in keeping these diseases confined to the past."

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