NHS launches vaccine catch-up campaign after children die of measles

• The NHS has launched an urgent catch-up campaign targeting approximately one million children aged two to 11 who have missed vital vaccinations against childhood diseases.
• The initiative follows the deaths of two children in England from measles this year and a significant rise in cases, with 801 reported so far compared to 959 cases in 2025.
• The campaign aims to boost protection against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox using the MMR/V vaccine.
• Parents of children under six will be contacted by their GPs, while those with children aged six to 11 will receive notifications via the NHS App, text, email, or letter.
• The World Health Organisation declared earlier this year that the UK no longer holds measles elimination status, with only 84.1 per cent of five-year-olds having received both MMR vaccine doses.

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NHS says it’s ‘crucial’ parents check children are vaccinated against deadly diseases