South West 'leads the way' in child vaccinations
PA MediaThe South West "leads the way" on the number of childhood vaccinations in England, according to new data.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the region had the highest coverage in the country on reported vaccines - meningitis B, measles, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, polio and rotavirus.
It said the first dose of the new MMRV vaccine, for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, reached 83.0% of children aged 15 months, compared to a national average of 78.8%.
Josh Howkins, from UKHSA South West, said NHS teams, GP practices and health visitors "deserve real credit for sustaining and improving uptake through a significant period of change to the vaccination schedule".
The UKHSA said the data provided early evidence of the "positive impact" of recent changes to the routine childhood immunisation schedule, which moved the second meningitis B dose from 16 weeks to 12 weeks of age from June 2025.
Meanwhile, a new 18-month appointment was also introduced from January, offering the MMRV vaccine alongside other boosters.
It said the region recorded seven laboratory-confirmed measles cases between 1 January and 22 June.
Nationally, there were 801 confirmed cases, with the majority of those in children aged 10 and under, compared to 959 cases for the whole of 2025.
'Safe, effective and free'
Howkins said even the best figures fell short of the levels needed to fully stop outbreaks of diseases like measles.
"With cases rising nationally and two children having lost their lives this year, the stakes could not be higher," he said.
He urged every parent to check their child's vaccination record and make sure no doses were missed: "These vaccines are safe, effective and free on the NHS and they save lives."
Georgina Angel, consultant in public health and screening and immunisation lead for NHS England South West, said there was still a "high number of children who are not protected against serious diseases".
She added: "We know that vaccines save lives and getting children vaccinated not only protects them but can help to protect the people around them."
