The World Health Organisation has officially declared that measles transmission has been re-established in the United Kingdom, stripping the nation of its hard-won elimination status. This significant announcement comes after a troubling plateau in childhood vaccination coverage and a sharp resurgence in cases throughout 2024.
A Decade of Decline Leads to Status Loss
Countries are awarded measles elimination status by the WHO when they demonstrate the absence of endemic measles virus transmission for at least 12 months. The UK had held this status from 2021 to 2023, but that achievement has now been reversed. The global health body confirmed that transmission was re-established in the UK in 2024, with a total of 3,681 cases recorded that year alone.
Vaccination Rates Hit Alarming Lows
The latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency paint a concerning picture of immunisation uptake. For the 2024/25 period, only 91.9% of five-year-olds in England had received their first dose of the MMR vaccine. This figure remains unchanged from the previous year and represents the lowest level seen since 2010/11.
Perhaps more worryingly, the data for complete protection shows that just 83.7% of five-year-olds had received both necessary MMR doses. This marks a slight decrease from 83.9% in 2023/24 and stands as the lowest coverage rate since 2009/10. The WHO recommends that at least 95% of children should receive vaccine doses for each illness to achieve the herd immunity necessary to prevent outbreaks.
Health Experts Voice Grave Concerns
Dr Vanessa Saliba, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, emphasised the critical link between vaccination rates and disease control. "Infections can return quickly when childhood vaccine uptake falls," she stated. "Measles elimination is only possible if all eligible children receive two MMRV doses before school. Older children and adults who missed vaccination must be caught up."
Dr Ben Kasstan-Dabush, assistant professor of global health and development at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, described the development as unsurprising given recent trends. "It is unsurprising the UK has lost its WHO measles elimination status, following nationwide outbreaks since 2024 and the preventable death of a child in 2025," he commented. "Sustained measles transmission reflects a decade-long decline in routine vaccination coverage and the persistent failure in the UK to reach the 95% measles vaccine coverage threshold recommended by WHO."
NHS Initiatives and Broader European Challenge
In response to the declining immunisation rates, the NHS has introduced measures designed to make vaccination more accessible. These include offering the second MMRV dose earlier, at a new 18-month appointment, with the aim of boosting uptake and supporting the restoration of elimination goals. Furthermore, in January 2026, health officials announced that UK children will now be offered the MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.
A spokesperson for the WHO indicated that the UK's change of status "reflects a broader challenge" facing the organisation across the European region. "Outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases are threats to health security in Europe, alongside antimicrobial resistance and other emerging threats," they added. "Persistent immunity gaps led to a region-wide resurgence in measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases in 2024 and a decrease in the number of countries that have achieved or sustained measles elimination status."
Urgent Calls for Action
Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer in public health medicine at the University of Exeter Medical School, issued a stark warning. "Measles is an infection that can be prevented by vaccine, and it's extremely concerning that in the UK we now have pockets of low or no vaccine uptake. We urgently need to remedy this situation."
The WHO maintains that through strengthened surveillance, improved outbreak response, and focused efforts to reach under-vaccinated communities, all countries can achieve and sustain elimination. However, the re-establishment of measles transmission in the UK serves as a sobering reminder of the fragility of public health achievements when vaccination rates fall below critical thresholds.
