UK loses measles elimination status as vaccine rates fall

Cases of the virus are also surging outside of Europe as global vaccination rates plummet.

Canada lost its measles-free status in December, and it is expected that the US – which is currently battling its worst outbreak in over two decades, with more than 2,000 cases and three infant deaths recorded in 2025 – is expected to follow this month.

In the Americas, the rise of the virus comes amid a backdrop of intensified vaccine hesitancy in the US.

In June, US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr took an axe to the country’s top vaccine panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, replacing top scientists with several figures who have publicly opposed vaccines.

Measles spreads faster than almost any other virus, with a single infected child likely to infect between 12 to 18 others. For every 100 cases, up to 20 people will suffer some form of complication.

As of the beginning of January, the NHS has replaced the MMR vaccine in Britain with the MMRV jab – a vaccine that also provides protection against chickenpox.

The second dose, which was historically given at age three, is now being offered to children earlier at age 18 months in order to boost uptake and immunity from a young age, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also prioritised primary care access, creating more GP appointments and other vaccine access points, including mobile vans and walk-in clinics.

“Infections can return quickly when childhood vaccine uptake falls; measles elimination is only possible if all eligible children receive two MMRV doses before school,” said Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA.

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