Decrease in vaccine uptake sparks health concerns for ‘old’ diseases in London

London Based Immunity Blood Testing

While the rapid rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine was heralded by many as a miracle feat of modern medicine, there were individuals who regarded it with scepticism, choosing not to get vaccinated or boosted with top-up Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer jabs.

But this anti-vaccine anxiety isn’t unique to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a trend which has been gaining momentum in recent years as more parents choose not to get their children vaccinated for a range of diseases, citing fears of long-term related health conditions.

A dangerous choice?

While those who refused to get themselves or their children vaccinated are exercising their right to choose, health officials are concerned about a potential health time bomb as new data reveals a decrease in uptake across most inoculation programmes.

Statistics from UK Health Security Agency and NHS Digital for children up to 5 years of age in the UK show that vaccination coverage decreased for 13 out of 14 routine programmes.

Only 89.2% of children at 24 months had completed their first dose of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, a decrease from 90.3% in the previous year. Coverage for the second dose of MMR by age 5 years was also down by nearly 1%.

A decrease in uptake was also noted for the vaccine which protects against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B, among children aged 12 months, 24 months, and 5 years.

What could this mean?

We have become acutely aware of disease and infection in recent years, thanks to the pandemic. Recent health fears were raised when traces of the previously eradicated Polio virus were discovered in sewage samples collected in London.

With immune systems that were weakened during the pandemic or compromised in young children who were not exposed to each other in the usual social and educational settings, the impacts of diseases and infections on health can be greater.

Measles, in particular, is a disease of concern. Highly contagious, even a small decline in MMR vaccine uptake can lead to a rise in cases. And with international travel returning to normal levels it is increasingly likely that measles will be brought in from countries that have higher levels of the disease and cause outbreaks.

Measles can lead to complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, and inflammation of the brain which requires hospitalisation and on rare occasions can be fatal.

What can we do?

Epidemiologists stress the importance of getting children vaccinated as they also boost population immunity levels, helping prevent outbreaks.

If you have concerns about the safety of vaccinations, it’s important that you speak with a GP who will be able to provide you with clear information and guidance, grounded in robust scientific research.

Wondering about your own immunity? 

If you’re concerned about your own immunity to measles, mumps, or rubella, perhaps because you don’t think you were vaccinated when you were a child, it is possible to test for antibodies to these diseases with a simple blood test.

Private blood testing in London is becoming a popular solution for a whole range of medical and diagnostic checks, for people who want quick access to important information about their health and wellbeing.

The measles, mumps and rubella test provides all the information you need about your immunity to these diseases.

Booking your private blood test in London

We make sure the experience of booking a private blood test is as easy, convenient, and painless as possible. Here’s how it works:

Once your order is placed, you can attend our central London walk-in clinic to have your blood taken by one of our expert phlebotomists. This guarantees that your blood samples are taken and handled correctly and that your results are processed efficiently by clinical professionals.

At your appointment, the friendly team will talk to you about your test, collect your blood sample and send it off for testing at an accredited partner laboratory. All you need to do is arrive for your blood draw.

Find out more