Vaccination fatigue blamed for decline in MMR jab uptake

“VACCINATION fatigue” may have caused a sharp drop in children being routinely immunised, government advisers have warned.

Minutes of a meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation reveal a 20 per cent drop in the number of children being vaccinated against conditions such as meningitis and a “concerning decline” in uptake of MMR.

The committee says there may need to be a “catch-up campaign” because so many young children have missed jabs and difficulties getting GP appointments may have caused the decline.

The minutes state: “The committee was mindful that vaccination fatigue could be an issue given the huge undertakings in the Covid-19 and influenza programmes, as well as the increase in pressure in primary care with more people returning to see their GPS and for hospital appointments.”

The number of teenagers in England opting for vaccinations against some cancers, meningitis, septicaemia and other fatal conditions fell by 20 per cent after the first lockdown last year.