Key Summary
- The vaccination drive will cover children aged between 12-months and 11 years old.
- There is a 7.5 percent gap in vaccine coverage between the most and least deprived areas.
- There were over 800 cases of measles in the first half of 2026 and 2 reported deaths.
NHS England has launched a major vaccination drive running until March 2027 to protect around one million children against the spread of measles and other potentially deadly illnesses, and improve the vaccine coverage in this age group.
The targeted catch-up campaign invites families with children aged between 12 months and 11 years old, who have missed one or both doses of their routine immunisations, to come forward.
In addition to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), the newly introduced "four-in-one" MMRV vaccine also includes protection against chickenpox (varicella).
Parents of eligible children under the age of six will be contacted directly by their local GP, while families with children aged between 6 and 11 will receive invitations via the NHS App, SMS, email, or letter.
The emergency rollout follows alarming new figures published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which reveal over 800 cases of measles and two reported deaths in the first half of 2026 alone, approaching the 959 total cases recorded for the entirety of 2025.
Outbreaks have become widespread, with every region of England currently reporting active clusters. Furthermore, the recent data highlights significant health inequalities, with a 7.5 percent gap in vaccine coverage between the most and least deprived areas of the country.
The nationwide vaccination rate for both doses at age five has dropped to 84.1 percent, falling significantly short of the 95 percent target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to maintain herd immunity.
As a direct result of this decline, the WHO officially confirmed in January 2026 that the UK had lost its measles elimination status.
NHS Director of Vaccination Caroline Temmink said: “Measles can be devastating for families, with sometimes tragic consequences, which is why we’re reaching out to parents to help them protect their children.
“These childhood illnesses are serious and some of them in rare cases can be fatal, but they are entirely preventable.
“This is why GPs based in the communities they know so well are contacting families to help overcome any barriers to getting children the protection they need.
“If you are invited to catch up on your child’s vaccinations, please come forward and take up this crucial offer.”
Public Health Minister Sharon Hodgson said: “Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect children from serious diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. These illnesses can be devastating, but they are preventable through routine childhood immunisation.
“If you’ve been contacted by the NHS to catch up on your child’s vaccinations, I encourage you to take up this offer as soon as possible. Making sure children are fully vaccinated means we can help keep them healthy, protect vulnerable people in our communities and prevent future outbreaks.”
