Classrooms across England are grappling with a “vaccine crisis,” as no childhood vaccine has met the World Health Organization’s recommended 95% coverage target needed to prevent disease outbreaks. Despite this worrying national trend, children in Somerset are comparatively better protected than many of their peers.
As thousands of primary school children return to classrooms, many remain vulnerable to serious illnesses due to incomplete vaccination. The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) latest data for 2024/25 shows that none of the main childhood vaccines in England have reached the critical 95% threshold for herd immunity. However, in Somerset, vaccination rates are notably higher than the national average.
For example, nearly 90% (89.6%) of Somerset children had received both doses of the MMR vaccine by their fifth birthday, a rate significantly above the England average of 83.7%. Adjacent areas fare even better, with Bath and North East Somerset at 91.1%, and North Somerset reaching 91.8%.
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Somerset also meets the target for the six-in-one vaccine, which protects against multiple diseases including whooping cough, with 95.8% coverage. Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset surpass this as well, recording 96.4% and 96.6% respectively.
Our interactive map allows you to see how vaccination rates for the five main childhood vaccines vary in your local area.
The government remains committed to addressing the vaccination shortfall. Health Minister Ashley Dalton recently acknowledged a “lack of access” as one key barrier, announcing plans for health visitors to deliver vaccinations in pilot schemes starting in 2026. Additional measures include incentives for GPs to increase vaccine uptake and the integration of vaccination checks during routine appointments.
However, vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation continues to challenge public health efforts. Nationally, only 91.9% of five-year-olds received their first MMR dose by March 2024, unchanged from the previous year and the lowest level since 2010/11. Full two-dose MMR coverage fell slightly to 83.7%, the lowest since 2009/10.
Coverage for the Hib/MenC vaccine dropped to 88.9%, while uptake of the four-in-one pre-school booster vaccine fell to 81.4%, the lowest since records began. Although the six-in-one vaccine coverage saw a slight improvement to 92.8%, it remains below the desired target.
Historically, the six-in-one vaccine met the 95% uptake target for a decade before rates began declining after 2020/21, underscoring the urgent need for renewed public health efforts.
Here are the detailed vaccination coverage rates for Somerset and neighboring areas:
North Somerset:
- Six-in-one: 96.6%
- MMR (first dose): 96.2%
- Four-in-one booster: 90.3%
- Hib/MenC booster: 94.9%
- MMR (both doses): 91.8%
Bath and North East Somerset:
- Six-in-one: 96.4%
- MMR (first dose): 95.9%
- Four-in-one booster: 89.8%
- Hib/MenC booster: 94.8%
- MMR (both doses): 91.1%
Somerset:
- Six-in-one: 95.8%
- MMR (first dose): 94.7%
- Four-in-one booster: 88.2%
- Hib/MenC booster: 93.9%
- MMR (both doses): 89.6%
The data highlights the significant regional variation in vaccine coverage, emphasizing the need for targeted efforts in areas falling behind. Somerset’s higher vaccination rates demonstrate commendable progress but also remind us of the importance of maintaining and improving coverage to protect children from preventable diseases.