UNITED KINGDOM —The Health Security Agency of Britain has issued a warning that measles vaccination rates in certain parts of London have plummeted to dangerously low levels, potentially leading to tens of thousands of measles cases in the capital if immunization coverage is not urgently increased.
According to the agency, in some groups of children in London, fewer than 70% have received their first dose of the standard measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which requires two doses for full protection.
Measles is highly contagious, and experts estimate that at least 95% of the population should be immunized to prevent new outbreaks.
The Health Security Agency cautioned that while the risk of a nationwide outbreak in the U.K. remains low, the current immunization levels in London indicate that the capital could face an outbreak ranging from 40,000 to 160,000 cases of measles.
As of June 30, there have already been 128 reported cases of measles in Britain this year, compared to 54 cases in the previous year, with over 60% of the cases occurring in London.
In response, the National Health Service (NHS) of the U.K. has initiated a targeted national campaign to boost measles vaccination in communities with the lowest coverage rates.
Health officials have identified individuals aged 19 to 25 as particularly vulnerable to measles, as many of them may have missed vaccinations due to unfounded claims made by British physician Andrew Wakefield in 1998, falsely linking the MMR vaccine to autism.
Despite the subsequent discrediting of the research and Wakefield’s professional misconduct, his false assertions sparked an anti-vaccination movement that significantly impacted immunization rates in the U.K. and worldwide for years.
The global measles immunization rates have experienced a substantial decline due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned in November last year that approximately 40 million children worldwide missed receiving a measles vaccine dose in 2021.
In Europe, the WHO observed an increase in cases in several countries, including Russia, Austria, Serbia, and the U.K., during the current year.
Measles is an airborne disease characterized by symptoms such as coughing, red eyes, and a facial rash.
Serious complications are more commonly observed in children under five and adults over 30, including blindness, encephalitis, and pneumonia.
Tragically, measles claimed the lives of over 128,000 individuals, mostly children under five, in 2021 alone, according to the WHO.
The importance of maintaining high vaccination rates and protecting communities from preventable diseases like measles cannot be overstated.
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