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  1. News Article
    Australia has recorded its first diphtheria death in almost a decade as the country grapples with the worst outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease in decades. In March, the Northern Territory (NT) declared an outbreak of diphtheria with cases also in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland. Cases started rising in late-2025 with a sharp increase in February. This year, there have been 245 cases, marking the largest outbreak in Australia since 1991, mainly in remote Indigenous communities. On Tuesday, NT's health minister said autopsy results from an overseas lab found diphtheria was the cause of a man's death in April at Royal Darwin Hospital, the first such case since 2018. In recent weeks, the government has ramped up vaccination efforts in areas most at risk and the number of new cases was now falling, health officials said on Tuesday. "Our government has taken this situation very seriously, and we are working hard to understand the causes and working to contain the situation," NT Health Minister Steve Edgington said. Since 30 March, there have been 10,407 vaccinations, he said. Authorities are urging affected communities to update their vaccinations, especially teenagers and adults who need to get booster shots. Read full story Source: The Independent, 26 May 2026
  2. News Article
    Australia is grappling with its “biggest diphtheria outbreak“ in decades as the bacterial infection continues to spread through Northern Territory. The country’s top medical body is now urging all Australians to ensure they are fully vaccinated against diphtheria following a resurgence of the Victorian-era disease. Most of the nearly 220 cases reported so far are in Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland. Diphtheria can cause swollen glands, breathing problems and fever. The bacterial disease mostly affects children. It was considered almost eradicated following a vaccination rollout that began in the 1930s. The current outbreak is being blamed on a dip in vaccination rates. Cases began to rise in 2025, prompting the Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control to declare an outbreak in March. Almost all cases have involved Indigenous Australians, which has pushed health authorities to work with Aboriginal agencies to improve immunisation. Health authorities were awaiting the outcome of an investigation into a suspected diphtheria death, which could be the first fatality from the disease in almost a decade. "We've been recording case numbers nationally for about 35 years and this, by a very big distance, is the biggest outbreak of diphtheria we've ever seen,” federal health minister Mark Butler said. Read full story Source: The Independent, 20 May 2026
  3. News Article
    Officials from the US Food and Drug Administration have blocked the publication of several studies of Covid-19 and shingles vaccines conducted by the agency’s own scientists, it has emerged. Each blocked study showed the safety of widespread use of vaccines for both conditions. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the move, first reported by the New York Times. FDA scientists conducted the studies, in which they analysed millions of patient records, with the help of a data firm and millions in taxpayer dollars. Two Covid-19 vaccine studies were accepted for publication by medical journals, but in October 2025 the authors were told to withdraw them. In February 2026 top FDA officials did not sign off two studies of Shingrix, a shingles vaccine. The abstracts required approval for submission to a conference on drug safety. When questioned by The BMJ the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the FDA, defended the decision. “The studies were withdrawn because the authors drew broad conclusions that were not supported by the underlying data,” Emily Hilliard, HHS press secretary, told The BMJ. “The FDA acted to protect the integrity of its scientific process and ensure that any work associated with the agency meets its high standards.” Critics said the blocks on the studies were another example of antivaccine sentiment from the HHS head, US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Read full story Source: BMJ, 8 May 2026
  4. News Article
    Findings of a rigorous evaluation of the public health use of the RTS,S malaria vaccine, published in The Lancet, confirm significant reduction in child deaths in the first African countries to offer the vaccine. Over a period of four years, an estimated 1 in 8 child deaths were averted among those eligible to receive the malaria vaccine in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. According to the authors, positive impact is likely to be as high or higher in other African countries now offering malaria vaccines to young children in areas of high malaria burden. The evaluation assessed data generated through the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP), which examined the outcomes of malaria vaccine introduction in the first three countries from 2019 to 2023. Despite global progress, malaria continues to take a devastating toll on children in Africa. In 2024, an estimated 438,000 African children died from the disease. Tens of thousands of lives could be saved every year through the wide implementation of World Health Organization (WHO) recommended malaria vaccines, RTS,S or R21. WHO recommends an integrated approach because the highest impact on malaria is achieved when countries apply a combination of preventive, diagnostic and treatment strategies. Read full article. Source: WHO, 8 May 2026
  5. News Article
    More babies are suffering life-threatening bleeding across the U.S. as parents skip a basic injection for their newborns with vaccine skepticism rampant in today’s world, and doctors are sounding the alarm about the rising trend. Medical experts say the decline in standard vitamin K injections for newborns is leading to preventable deaths and severe brain injuries. Data from a national study of more than 5 million births, published in the journal JAMA, found that the rate of infants not receiving the shot at birth reached 5% in 2024. This represents a 77% increase since 2017. In some hospital systems, such as St. Luke’s Health System in Idaho, refusal rates have more than doubled since the start of the pandemic, with one facility reporting that 20% of families opted out of the procedure. Medical records and autopsy reports reviewed by ProPublica show a recent string of infant deaths across several states, including Maryland, Alabama, Texas and Kentucky. Pathologists attributed these deaths to vitamin K deficiency bleeding, a condition where the blood cannot clot, causing internal haemorrhaging. Research shows that infants who do not receive the shot are 81 times more likely to develop late-onset bleeding than those who do. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five babies who develop the condition will die. Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 May 2026
  6. News Article
    The health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, faced intense questioning from several US senators on Wednesday during a hearing largely focused on how the administration has responded to the measles outbreak and the spread of vaccine misinformation. In his opening remarks to the Senate finance committee, the senator Ron Wyden criticizsed Kennedy’s messaging on vaccines, saying: “When it comes to vaccines, Robert Kennedy has used this once-in-a-lifetime platform to make parents doubt themselves and doubt their doctors,” before adding: “The secretary has ducked, bobbed and weaved without taking the responsibility of saying what needs to be said: vaccines save lives in America.” Tensions rose when the discussion turned to the measles outbreak, with Wyden challenging Kennedy directly over his long-held views on vaccines. Kennedy has consistently sought to separate himself from responsibility for the outbreak during recent Capitol Hill appearances. Public health specialists have argued that Kennedy failed to strongly promote vaccination and instead highlighted unproven treatments such as steroids while the virus spread across state lines. Kennedy, however, maintained that the US managed the outbreak more effectively than any other nation, noting that Mexico and Canada reported higher numbers of cases. “I had nothing to do with the measles outbreak here,” he reiterated. “We have limited our outbreak better than any country in the world.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 22 April 2026
  7. Content Article
    More information about "Top picks: 14 key resources about immunisation"
    At Patient Safety Learning we believe that sharing insights and learning is vital to improving outcomes and reducing harm. That's why we created the hub; providing a space for people to come together and share their experiences, resources and good practice examples.  To support. WHO's World Immunisation Week, we have picked 14 resources full of practical advice about vaccination in a range of settings. 1 WHO: Vaccines explained "Vaccines Explained" is a series of illustrated articles from the World Health Organization that describe how vaccines work, how they’re developed and distributed and how their safety is carefully monitored. 2 EDUCATE KS3 lesson pack: HPV vaccination Co-produced by young people and researchers from the University of Bristol and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, ‘EDUCATE’ helps teach students about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and provide reassurance about receiving the vaccine, which is usually offered to teenagers at school as part of the national vaccination programme. 3 The Green Book: Immunisation against infectious diseases The Green Book is published by the UK Health Security Agency and contains the latest information on vaccination procedures for vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in the UK. It offers guidance on general safety considerations and clinical procedures relating to immunisation, as well as specific information on a wide range of diseases and vaccinations. 4 Vaccination awareness toolkit for children and young people The School And Public Health Nurses Association (SAPHNA) has coproduced this vaccination toolkit with children and young people. It aims to increase young people's awareness of what vaccines are, why they are important and what to expect from different types of vaccines. 5 Improving communication about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme among families In England, young people aged 12 to 13 years are offered immunisation against HPV as part of the NHS vaccination programme. However, research by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol has identified sustained inequalities in uptake by area and minority ethnic groups. They have produced a number of information videos to address information needs about HPV among young people. They were coproduced with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and diverse ethnic groups. 6 A visual guide to vaccines for the UK routine vaccination programme This guide by the UK Health Security Agency is designed to help ensure healthcare workers administer the right vaccines at the right time. It provides photos of all vaccines used in the UK routine immunisation programme, as well as information on when each vaccine should be given and its different trade names and abbreviations. 7 Pain management in infant immunisation: A cross-sectional survey of UK primary care nurses Childhood immunisation is a critically important public health initiative. However, since most vaccines are administered by injection, it is associated with considerable pain and distress. Despite evidence demonstrating the efficacy of various pain management strategies, the frequency with which these are used during routine infant vaccinations in UK practice is unknown. This study aimed to explore primary care practice nurses’ use of evidence-based pain management strategies during infant immunisation, as well as barriers to evidence-based practice. 8 Shingles Vaccination Programme: GP toolkit for improving uptake About 1 in 5 people who have had chickenpox develop shingles, predominantly those who are over 70. However, uptake rates of the shingles vaccine are falling in London and across England. The purpose of this toolkit is to help GPs better protect their patients by suggesting ways to improve uptake of the shingles vaccine. These suggestions are based on best practice and evidence and have been shown to work with little or no cost to practices. 9 Interview with Charlet Crichton, founder of UKCVFamily UKCVFamily was set up in November 2021 to support patients in the UK who have had an adverse reaction to a Covid-19 vaccination. The group provides help and advocacy as well as raising awareness amongst healthcare professionals, the media and the Government. In this video for the hub, founder of UKCVFamily Charlet Crichton talks about why she established the group and describes the support it offers to patients. 10 Measles and rubella vaccine microneedle patch: new hope to reach the unreached children This Lancet article looks at how microneedle patches (MNPs) could potentially improve coverage of childhood vaccinations by providing a more thermostable, individual-dose, injection-free vaccine delivery device suitable for administration by local, non-medical personnel. MNPs could also reduce wasted vaccine doses, needle-stick injuries and breaks in the cold chain, as well as making waste management easier. 11 Whooping cough resurgence as vaccination rates slump Official data on whooping cough show that reports of suspected cases are at a 15-year high in the first three months of 2024. This article in the Pharmaceutical Journal looks at why cases are increasing, including falling rates of children receiving the childhood 6-in-1 vaccine and maternal vaccination. It outlines the symptoms of whooping cough, describes how it can be treated and includes a map identifying infection 'hot spots' in England and Wales. 12 Enhancing vaccine confidence across ethnic minority communities The Collaboration for Change is a group of two UK universities, nine community organisations and two small and medium size enterprises, who have conducted research on how to improve vaccine uptake among ethnic minority groups. The report highlights the factors influencing vaccine uptake. 13 Vaccination in the UK: Access, uptake and equity Over the last decade, the uptake of vaccines in the UK has stalled and is in many cases falling. Declining rates of routine childhood vaccination in a country with a well-established universal healthcare system are extremely concerning and pose a significant public health risk, with outbreaks of preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough already being seen. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)'s Commission on Immunisation policy report assesses how and why vaccine uptake has stalled or declined. It outlines the evidence and our recommendations to increase uptake of routine childhood vaccinations across three broad themes: access to services, improved data systems and strengthening public information, education and communication. 14 UK Covid-19 Inquiry: Module 4 -Vaccines and therapeutics The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has published its fourth report and recommendations following its investigation into ‘Vaccines and therapeutics of the United Kingdom’. It considers and makes recommendations on a range of issues relating to the development of Covid-19 vaccines and the implementation of the vaccine rollout programme in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Issues relating to the treatment of Covid-19 through both existing and new medications were examined in parallel. Do you have a resource or story to share about immunisation safety? We’d love to hear about it - leave a comment below or join the hub to share your own post.
  8. News Article
    A vaccine during pregnancy which protects newborns against nasty chest infections is cutting hospital admissions of babies by more than 80%, UK health officials say. A virus, called RSV, affects many babies in the first few months of life and can leave them gasping for breath and struggling to feed, with more than 20,000 babies ending up seriously ill in hospital in the UK every year. Since 2024, women have been offered a vaccine from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect their newborns. A new study analysing the impact of the vaccine shows it gives "excellent protection" to babies when they are most vulnerable to RSV, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says. RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is one of the main reasons young babies are admitted to hospital before the age of one. Half of newborns catch the virus, which can cause anything from a mild cold to a life-threatening chest infection because of inflammation in the lungs. Small numbers die from it every year. The new vaccine was introduced in the UK in 2024 after clinical trials showed it could boost a pregnant woman's immune system enough to pass on protection to the baby through the placenta. This means babies born to vaccinated pregnant women are protected from the day they are born. This new study shows the protection is nearly 85% when given at least four weeks before baby is born. Some protection is still possible if the jab is given later than this. Read full story Source: BBC News, 18 April 2026
  9. News Article
    The rollout of Covid vaccines – the largest immunisation programme in UK history - was an "extraordinary feat", the Covid inquiry said. The fourth report from the inquiry praised the speed in which jabs were developed and deployed – 132 million were given in 2021 - alongside how the UK discovered which treatments worked best against the virus. The positive headlines contrast with the first three reports that were highly critical of the government's pandemic planning, decision-making and management of the NHS. But the report said more needed to be done to address vaccine hesitancy and those harmed by the Covid jabs should have easier access to bigger payouts. Inquiry chair Baroness Hallett praised the vaccine programme, pointing to research which suggested it saved more than 475,000 lives after more than 90% of people aged over 12 came forward for a jab. But she said while most people took up the offer of vaccination, there was lower uptake within communities in areas of higher deprivation and in some ethnic minority communities. "Governments and health services must work with communities to rebuild trust and promote a better understanding of, and confidence in, vaccines," she said. Spread of false information online and lack of trust in authority, combined with how quickly the vaccines had been developed, were contributory factors, said the report. Read full story Source: BBC News, 16 April 2026
  10. Content Article
    The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has published its fourth report and recommendations following its investigation into ‘Vaccines and therapeutics of the United Kingdom’. It considers and makes recommendations on a range of issues relating to the development of Covid-19 vaccines and the implementation of the vaccine rollout programme in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Issues relating to the treatment of Covid-19 through both existing and new medications were examined in parallel.
  11. News Article
    Nearly half of Americans are somewhat skeptical of vaccines, a new poll has found. Some 46% of U.S. adults who responded to a Public First poll by Politico in March agreed that “facts on vaccines are still up for debate and it is damaging to enforce their uptake.” In contrast, only 39% said that the science on vaccines “is clear and it is damaging to question it.” The results of the survey are in line with the views of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic and founder of the Republican “Make America Healthy Again” movement. “What stands out is that vaccine safety and vaccine choice are no longer fringe issues,” Mary Holland, CEO of anti-vax group Children’s Health Defense, which Kennedy previously led before taking his post in government, told Politico. “People want to be able to make their own medical decisions.” Astonishingly, overall, 39% of respondents to Politico’s survey said they would allow vaccine-preventable diseases to return, rather than force people to have vaccines, in contrast to 47% who said they would rather not. During his tenure as Health Secretary, Kennedy has overseen several major changes within his department and its policies, including the attempted overhaul of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the elimination of Covid-19 vaccine recommendations. Last week, it was reported that the CDC had delayed publishing a report showing the benefits of the Covid vaccine, further sparking concerns that the information conflicted with Kennedy’s views. The CDC insisted that the move followed standard procedure. Read full story Source: The Independent, 14 April 2026
  12. News Article
    An "alarming" report has linked meningitis to 159 deaths in the UK in one year - as pharmacists warn that childhood vaccination rates are falling. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called for an immunisation catch up service to be rolled out for teenagers who have missed out on being vaccinated against meningitis and other diseases. NPA chair Olivier Picard said declining immunisation rates for illnesses, including meningitis and measles, highlighted that the current strategy was "not fit for purpose" in the face of growing "vaccine hesitancy". It comes after a deadly outbreak of the disease in Kent earlier this month claimed the lives of two students. Mr Picard said: "It's clear there are gaps in the original national vaccination strategy for meningitis and pharmacies want to reach those in need of protection. "The NHS should urgently commission pharmacies to provide a catch-up vaccination service for teenagers who did not receive their MenACWY immunisations, as well as commissioning pharmacies to support NHS colleagues with wider childhood vaccinations." Read full story Source: Sky News, 28 March 2026
  13. News Article
    Amid upheaval to the US vaccine advisory committee Robert Malone, the former co-chair and controversial figure who has opposed vaccines, says he has been pushed out and will not be involved in any future decisions. The move comes after a federal judge stayed the appointment of 13 members of the advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP), essentially invalidating their roles on the committee and the decisions they have made. Those new advisers were all hand-picked by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, after he fired the previous 17 members of the ACIP in June – but the judge ruled they were unqualified and not selected properly. The US now has no functioning advisory committee, and several key vaccines are no longer recommended, including the latest version of flu and Covid shots and the inclusion of the RSV shot for infants in the federal Vaccines for Children program, which covers immunisations for more than half of US children. Malone has incorrectly claimed that vaccines are dangerous and ineffective; at one point, he was banned from Twitter for allegedly spreading misinformation. In the most recent ACIP meeting in December, he frequently interrupted other advisers and outside experts, and he raised doubts about the vaccination schedule. “The specific elephant, in this case, has to do with cumulative risk across the entire childhood vaccine schedule, and that is a risk for which we do not have adequate data,” he said – a claim disputed by the CDC’s own data. “It is good that Dr Malone wishes now to decrease drama regarding vaccines,” which “contrasts” with his prior statements, said Joseph Hibbeln, a psychiatrist and nutritional neuroscientist who was also appointed to the committee in June. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 25 March 2026
  14. Content Article
    How the UK intends to rebuild readiness for future pandemics through a whole-of-government approach that prioritises the needs of the most vulnerable. The UK’s readiness for future pandemics is being overhauled through the publication of a new Pandemic Preparedness Strategy, backed by around £1 billion of investment in health protection measures including enhancing our access to essential vaccines and therapeutics, improving our pandemic surveillance systems and expanding our ability to roll out testing to the whole population. Published by the Department for Health and Social Care today, the strategy outlines concrete action already taken across government to embed lessons from Covid-19: PPE stockpiles will continue to be replenished with a variety of products and sizes. Departmental pandemic response plans will be reviewed to ensure government services and critical national infrastructure can be maintained effectively in a pandemic. An ‘All Pandemic Hazards Bill’ will be drafted to ensure the government has legislative options ready to review and introduce as necessary in response to a range of pathogens. This will sit alongside a suite of prepared options for community protection measures to support swift decision-making and prioritisation to keep people safe. UKHSA will build a new set of services to manage large scale testing, contact tracing and other scaled public health response measures’. Chemicals and equipment stockpiles needed for testing will be built up further to protect against supply risks that could develop in the early stages of a pandemic. Data requirements to support decision-making will be reviewed to ensure information needed in a pandemic response is available, transparent, and can be shared quickly between organisations and with the public.
  15. News Article
    Health bosses cannot yet confirm whether a deadly meningitis outbreak has been contained, Kent's director of public health has said. An urgent public health alert was issued urging health workers to look out for signs of infection after 20 suspected cases were investigated by the UK Health Security Agency, including two people who had died. A vaccination programme targeting about 5,000 students began at the University of Kent, following an outbreak thought to have originated at a Canterbury nightclub. When asked whether the outbreak had been contained, Dr Anjan Ghosh, of Kent County Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme they were "not in a position yet to say that definitively". He added: "If you see the daily reporting that's going on, there are more and more cases being reported, but these cases all relate more or less to that same period of time when the initial exposure happened. "We are looking at what's called secondary transmission, so that's a case that's then transmitted to another couple of people. We need to rule that out before we can say it's definitely contained." Health chiefs have described the "explosive nature" of the outbreak as unprecedented. Read full story Source: BBC News, 18 March 2026
  16. News Article
    Pharmacies are running out of stock for the meningitis B vaccine as concern rises and demand soars. The spike comes after the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed it is now investigating 20 cases of meningitis in Kent during an “explosive” outbreak that has left two dead. Boots has implemented a queuing system for customers to enter the vaccination service page of its website, with a warning that demand for its menB jab is currently high. Superdrug has also created a waiting list for the vaccine, with a note on its website informing customers of a “national shortage” and adding “stock is limited”. It said it is “working with suppliers to secure more doses”. The high street pharmacy reported a 65-fold increase in demand compared to last week. Some pharmacies in Kent are also running out of supplies, according to Dr Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Independent Pharmacies Association. Read full story Source: The Independent, 18 March 2026
  17. News Article
    Health secretary Wes Streeting has described the outbreak of meningitis in Kent as “unprecedented” and warned it is a “rapidly developing situation”. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced a targeted vaccination programme for students living at Canterbury halls of residence at the University of Kent, while 700 doses of antibiotics have been given out. The agency confirmed on Tuesday morning that 15 cases of meningitis have been recorded, an increase of two from Monday, and all those affected were hospitalised. Experts have described the outbreak as “unusual”, with the disease killing an 18-year-old pupil called Juliette and an unnamed 21-year-old university student. Warnings were issued that some pharmacies in the region are running out of the MenB vaccine due to a surge in demand, with some reporting no stock left. Meningitis B has been confirmed as the strain in some cases, with concerns growing in the region after a third school confirmed a case, as well as the university. Read full story Source: The Independent, 17 March 2026
  18. News Article
    A federal judge on Monday blocked the US government from making sweeping changes to childhood immunisations, in a blow to Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr's agenda. Since taking office a year ago, Kennedy has sought to change and loosen vaccine regulations, including slashing the number of recommended shots for children from 17 to 11. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other large medical groups had sued, saying Kennedy's changes violated federal law. Judge Brian Murphy also suspended Kennedy's appointments to an advisory vaccine panel, many of whom were vaccine-sceptics. Kennedy was a longtime antivaccine activist before joining President Donald Trump's administration. The ruling means a scheduled Wednesday meeting for the vaccine panel, called the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (Acip) will be postponed, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling. In a statement, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said the agency "looks forward to this judge's decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing". Medical groups who brought the suit, meanwhile, lauded the decision, including the American Medical Association, the largest US professional organization for doctors, which called it "an important step toward protecting the health of Americans, particularly children". Read full story Source: BBC News, 17 March 2026
  19. News Article
    Children are at risk of measles because the NHS is “clearly failing” to ensure they get the MMR vaccine and its system needs an urgent overhaul, MPs and health experts have warned. Calls are growing for major reform of how MMR jabs are delivered as it emerged that vaccination rates in some parts of England are now on a par with those in Afghanistan and Malawi. More outbreaks of measles like the one in north London are inevitable, public health specialists believe, given that fewer than 60% of five-year-olds in some places have had both the recommended doses of MMR. In Enfield, where 60 children have recently contracted measles, of whom 15 have been hospitalised, the MMR vaccination rate is only 64.3%. That is lower than the 69.3% rate in Malawi and just above Afghanistan’s 62% rate. The World Health Organization advises a 95% rate. The outbreak in Enfield has reignited public and medical anxiety about unvaccinated children getting measles, which can damage the brain and lungs and in some cases lead to meningitis, blindness or even death. Five “catch-up clinics” have been set up in local community centres to vaccinate children who got either one or no doses of MMR when it was offered to their parents. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 16 February 2026
  20. News Article
    Measles infections have been confirmed across at least seven schools in north London as the NHS has warned parents to immunise their children. Cases were confirmed across several schools in Enfield and Haringey, according to a warning issued by Evergreen GP Surgery in Edmonton, who said that the infection was spreading. More than 60 measles cases were reported in London since January, and labs have confirmed 34 cases of measles in Enfield since 12 January, with one in five of these children being admitted to hospital with the infection. “There is no treatment for measles, only the vaccination to prevent catching it, which is part of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) injection,” the surgery said on the website. “Parents should ensure that their children are up-to-date with all their immunisations. This can be done by checking the child’s immunisations ‘red book’ or contacting the practice nurse here at the GP practice.” The MMR vaccine has been updated to also protect against chicken pox. The outbreak comes after recent UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures showed that not a single childhood vaccine in England last year met the target needed to ensure diseases cannot spread among youngsters. Read full story Source: The Independent, 15 February 2026
  21. News Article
    One in four UK students leaves high school without the protection of the HPV vaccine, putting them at higher risk of several cancers, experts have warned. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)’s latest data for the 2024/25 academic year shows that although uptake has remained steady since last year, a quarter of students are still missing the jab that can give vital protection against cervical, mouth and throat cancers. The report found that year 10 students in England had an HPV uptake of 75.5% for girls and 70.5% for boys, well below the pre-pandemic rates of around 90%. Regionally, the uptake for year 10 students was the lowest in London (with 61% for girls and 56.9% for boys) and the highest in east England (82.8% for girls and 78.2% for boys). Dr Sharif Ismail, UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, said: “The HPV vaccine is one of the most effective cancer-preventing vaccines available. Now, just a single dose given in school, it protects against cervical cancer and several cancers caused by HPV that affect both boys and girls, helping to save thousands of lives and the terrible stress on families.” Health minister Stephen Kinnock said: “Every child deserves protection against cancers caused by HPV, and it's concerning that too many young people are leaving school without this vital vaccine. “I'd urge any parent whose child has missed their HPV vaccine not to wait – speak to your GP or local NHS service today.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 29 January 2026
  22. News Article
    The UK has lost its status as a measles-free country after a rise in deaths from the disease and fall in the proportion of children having the MMR jab in recent years. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it no longer classified Britain as having eliminated measles because the disease had become re-established. The UK is one of six countries in Europe and central Asia that the WHO says is no longer measles-free, the others being Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The WHO had adjudged the UK to have eliminated the disease between 2021 and 2023, but recent increases in the number of recorded cases – there were 3,681 in 2024 – and rises in the number of outbreaks and deaths has led to a rethink. Doctors, public health experts and local councils said the WHO’s decision reflected the country’s diminishing uptake of the MMR vaccination, which they linked to vaccine hesitancy and parents’ difficulty in getting appointments for their child to be immunised. Dr Simon Williams, a public health researcher at Swansea University, said: “It’s sad to see the UK losing its measles elimination status, although it’s not surprising given outbreaks in recent years. Measles is an eminently preventable disease but vaccine coverage of MMR has declined. We are seeing vaccine hesitancy growing in the UK, as in many countries, and social media-based conspiracies about MMR are a factor.” He said the decision by the UN health body “is a wake-up call that more needs to be done” to get rates of MMR in children in the UK back up to the 95% that the organisation says is needed to eliminate measles, mumps and rubella altogether through herd immunity. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 26 January 2026
  23. News Article
    Children in England are facing "some of the worst child health outcomes in Europe," prompting MPs to demand an "urgent" rebuilding of the health visiting workforce. A new report from the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has issued a stark warning, highlighting rising obesity levels and "uneven" vaccination coverage among infants. The cross-party group scrutinised the critical "first 1,000 days" of a child's life, from conception to age two, concluding that government action is imperative to improve national child health. Committee members urged ministers to expand pledges on Family Hubs, ensuring these vital support centres are accessible in every community. Crucially, they called for an immediate effort to "urgently rebuild the health visiting workforce," which has seen a significant 43% reduction since 2015. This has resulted in a shortfall of 5,000 posts, with remaining staff managing “dangerously high” caseloads, the report states. The report also calls for the target of giving 95% of children their routine childhood immunisations to be reinstated in the NHS. “The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says the UK has some of the worst health outcomes for young children in Europe. This should be a source of shame. “Over the last two decades we have seen a hollowing out of health services for infants – the Family Hubs programme still barely touches the sides of what was once provided by Sure Start centres before they were forced to close." Read full story Source: The Independent, 22 January 2026
  24. News Article
    International health authorities are set to convene in April to determine if the U.S. has forfeited its measles-free designation, a year after an outbreak first emerged in West Texas. Experts are concerned that the vaccine-preventable virus has re-established a foothold, potentially leading the U.S. to follow Canada in losing this significant public health achievement. The re-evaluation is largely symbolic, contingent on whether a single measles chain has spread uninterrupted within the country for at least 12 months. Public health scientists are currently investigating potential links between the now-concluded Texas outbreak and active cases in Utah, Arizona and South Carolina. However, medical professionals and researchers assert that the U.S. – and North America more broadly – confronts a significant measles challenge, irrespective of the upcoming decision. “It is really a question of semantics,” said Dr. Jonathan Temte, a Wisconsin family physician who helped certify the U.S. was measles-free in 2000. “The bottom line is the conditions are sufficient to allow this many cases to occur. And that gets back to de-emphasizing a safe and effective vaccine.” “The most important thing that we can do is to make sure the people who aren’t vaccinated get vaccinated,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center. “We have not issued a clear enough message about that.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 20 January 2026
  25. News Article
    As of 6 January, the CDC has confirmed 2,147 measles cases in 2025 and 2026, with North Carolina and South Carolina reporting the latest cases amid dozens of outbreaks across the U.S. The U.S. achieved measles elimination status in 2020, but the nation could lose this designation in late January. In 2025, the CDC logged 49 outbreaks across 45 states. The federal health agency has not reported on any measles-related hospitalizations or deaths in 2026. In 2025, there were 240 hospitalisations and three deaths. “About 11% of patients are still being hospitalized for measles, so hospitals may need to be ready to employ isolation precautions to prevent in-hospital spread,” Kaufman Hall said in a news release. The majority of infections are among unvaccinated individuals. A national survey conducted from 17 November to 1 December by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania found a decline in the public’s perception of the safety and effectiveness of measles, mumps and rubella vaccines. In 2025, 83% of U.S. adults considered the MMR vaccine as safe, which is significantly lower than the 88% who said the same in 2022. Read full story Source: Becker's Clinical Leadership, 13 January 2026

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