According to the latest update from the World Health Organization (WHO) European Regional Verification Commission, the United Kingdom, alongside Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Spain, and Uzbekistan, has lost its status as a measles-free region. These nations are now classified as having “re-established” measles transmission due to recurring outbreaks.
The reclassification highlights a concerning decline in immunization rates across the continent. Maintaining a measles-free environment requires a minimum 95% coverage rate for two doses of the vaccine. However, recent data reveals significant gaps:
-
United Kingdom: Vaccination coverage for the second dose dropped from 89.3% in 2014 to 84.4% by 2024.
-
Infection surge: In Britain alone, the number of confirmed measles cases skyrocketed from 96 in 2014 to 3,681 in 2024.
Experts suggest this trend is partially driven by shifting public attitudes toward vaccines, influenced by controversial policy debates and medical claims originating in the United States in late 2025. In response, health authorities such as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the MHRA have issued strong statements reaffirming the long-standing scientific evidence supporting vaccine safety.
To combat the resurgence, the UK National Health Service (NHS) is now adjusting its immunization schedule, offering the second dose earlier—at 19 months—to close the immunity gap and protect the population from this highly contagious airborne virus.