Parents urged to take up child vaccinations with GP practices amid measles outbreak

The Government has urged parents to check their child’s vaccination status and book a GP appointment for vaccination if invited, amid new cases of measles in London.

It has launched a new campaign urging parents to also ‘raise awareness in their communities’, as at least seven schools in Enfield and Haringey, in north London, have reported measles outbreaks since last month.

The RCGP has also urged parents to check their children’s vaccinations are up to date and, if they’re not, to get in touch with their GP practice.

A total of 34 cases were recorded in Enfield up to 2 February – more than a third of the 96 cases in England last month, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data.

According to a local GP practice, Evergreen Surgery, one in five children who contracted measles in the outbreak were hospitalised, and none of them were fully immunised.

Just 64.3% of five-year-olds in Enfield and 65% in Haringey had received both MMR vaccines in 2024/25, compared to 83.7% for England as a whole.

In a statement, the practice said: ‘Infections have been confirmed across at least seven schools in Enfield and Haringey and it is spreading. During this recent outbreak, one in five children have been hospitalised due to measles and all of them had not been fully immunised.

‘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 MMR vaccine has now been updated to also protect against chicken pox (varicella).

‘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 Government’s vaccination campaign is aimed at the parents of children aged 0 to five years, and will include: a 30-second TV and video on demand advert, online video, social media content and digital display advertising, and gaming and parenting forum partnerships including with Netmums and Mumsnet.

Caroline Temmink, NHS England’s director of vaccination, said the Government was urging all parents to ‘book an appointment through their GP practice when invited’ .

Dr Zubir Ahmed, the health innovation and safety minister, said: ‘Vaccination is one of the greatest public health successes of our time, protecting children from serious and sometimes life-threatening diseases. But with vaccination rates falling and the UK losing its measles elimination status, it’s vital we act now.

‘Our campaign will help parents get clear, trusted information about childhood vaccines and the protection they offer.’

RCGP chair Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown said: ‘Rising measles cases in Enfield are a real concern and a reminder that this is a serious illness that can spread very quickly if vaccination levels fall. When outbreaks happen locally, GPs see first-hand the worry this can cause for families. 

‘GPs and our teams play a central role in delivering vaccinations and supporting families. Every day we talk to parents, answering questions and explaining the safety and effectiveness of vaccines like MMR. We also know that some families face practical barriers to accessing vaccination, and these need to be addressed. 

‘We’d urge parents to check their children’s vaccinations are up to date and, if they’re not, to get in touch with their GP practice. Vaccination protects not just individual children, but whole communities, and with measles cases rising, staying up to date is more important than ever.’

Earlier this month, NHS England primary care director Dr Amanda Doyle said the 2026/27 GP contract would ‘strengthen the focus’ on improving MMR vaccination rates in children.

It comes as the UK last month lost its measles elimination status, after the 2024 outbreak of almost 3,000 cases which caused officials to declare a public health incident. 

Uptake rates for all main booster jabs for children under five continued to decrease in England last year. 

More than four in 10 (42%) measles cases recorded in England last month were in children under five.