Professor John Robertson OBA

From Childhood immunisation statistics Scotland Quarter and year ending 31 March 2025 published today:

The first dose of MMR vaccine is offered between 12 and 13 months old and the second dose at 3 years 4 months old. 92.4% of children had the first dose of MMR vaccine by 24 months of age. This rose to 95.7% for children who had reached age 5. Uptake of the second dose of MMR vaccine by 5 years was 90.0%, rising to 90.7% by age 6 years.

https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/childhood-immunisation-statistics-scotland/childhood-immunisation-statistics-scotland-quarter-and-year-ending-31-march-2025/

The World Health Organisation suggests that 95% gives herd immunity. https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d5703

NHS England does not measure MMR uptake at 1 but at 2 years when it was 90.7%, excluding London, but 88.7% overall. This is dangerously low.

MMR uptake in England after 5 years was only 84.1%. Again this is dangerously low.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cover-of-vaccination-evaluated-rapidly-cover-programme-2024-to-2025-quarterly-data/quarterly-vaccination-coverage-statistics-for-children-aged-up-to-5-years-in-the-uk-cover-programme-july-to-september-2024

In 2024, 80% of Scotland’s 24 measles cases came from outside Scotland. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/immunisation-and-vaccine-preventable-diseases-quarterly-report/immunisation-and-vaccine-preventable-diseases-quarterly-report-october-to-december-2024-q4/#section-2