The MMR vaccine in the United Kingdom is a combined vaccine that immunizes against measles, mumps, and rubella. In 2024/25, 89.2 percent of children in Scotland had received the second dose of the vaccine by their fifth birthday, compared to 83.7 percent of children in England.Â
Rise of measles in recent years
In the fist half of 2024, there were almost two thousand cases of measles in England and Wales, this was higher than some annual figures in previous years. Since 2000, cases of measles generally increased in England and Wales.Â
Views towards vaccines in the UK
In the UK most of the population believe in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. AÂ survey of British respondents showed that 89 percent of the population believed that vaccines are important for children to have. In the same survey question, sixteen other European countries had a higher belief in the importance of child vaccinations than the UK, compared to twenty-one other countries which scored lower than the UK.