UK childhood vaccination rates fall below targets in Dorset and West Midlands

Health officials in the United Kingdom are raising concerns over declining childhood vaccination rates for both MMRV and flu immunizations.

In Dorset, specifically within Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole, MMRV vaccination rates—which protect against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox—have reached only 88 percent. This falls short of the 95 percent target required to maintain population immunity and prevent outbreaks. Local authorities are urging parents to check vaccination records via the NHS App or GP practices to arrange catch-up doses.

Similarly, flu vaccine uptake among primary school children in the West Midlands remains low. During the 2025-26 winter season, only 50.9 percent of primary pupils in the region received the nasal spray vaccine, compared to a national average of 55.5 percent. Health protection experts from the UKHSA noted that these rates remain below pre-pandemic levels of over 60 percent, leaving thousands of children at risk of complications and potential hospitalization.