Childhood vaccination rates fall below 95% target in Halton
Council health officials say vaccine uptake remains above regional and national levels for some measures but has continued to fall, with misinformation, access and deprivation amon
By Runcorn & Widnes World
Childhood vaccination coverage in Halton has fallen below the 95% level sought for protection against measles, prompting concern over declining uptake and differences between communities across the borough.
A report considered by Halton Council says coverage for childhood immunisations has been falling despite local uptake of vaccines protecting against measles remaining above regional and national averages on some measures.
Latest published public-health figures for 2024/25 show that 89.4% of children in Halton had received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine by the age of two.
By age five, 94.3% had received at least one dose, while 88.2% had received the recommended two doses.
Those figures compare with 92.9% and 85.6% respectively across the North West for five-year-olds, and 91.8% and 83.7% across England.
However, all remain below the 95% coverage level used as an important benchmark for controlling measles.
The council report warns that vaccination rates are not evenly distributed across Halton, with some neighbourhoods and population groups recording lower levels than others.
Factors identified as contributing to the variation include deprivation, difficulties accessing vaccination services, population mobility and differing levels of confidence in vaccines.
Health officials have also raised concerns about misinformation, particularly material circulating through social media, which they say can influence parents’ decisions and weaken confidence in established vaccination programmes.
Measles remains a particular concern because it is highly infectious and can spread rapidly where vaccination coverage falls.
Cases have continued to be reported nationally and the council report says cases have also occurred in Halton.
The routine childhood vaccination programme changed at the beginning of 2026, when the combined measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine, known as MMRV, was introduced.
MMRV adds protection against varicella, commonly known as chickenpox, and replaced MMR for children entering the routine programme from 1 January.
Children are offered doses according to their age and date of birth, while MMR continues to be available for older children and adults who need to catch up on missed doses.
The council report says improving uptake will require work across different parts of the health system rather than relying solely on general vaccination campaigns.
It identifies the need to understand why coverage is lower in particular communities and to address practical barriers to accessing appointments alongside concerns about vaccine confidence.
Halton’s overall figures remain comparatively stronger than those recorded across the North West and England for some childhood measles vaccination measures, but local health officials say maintaining high coverage is important because pockets of lower uptake can leave communities more vulnerable to outbreaks.