MMR jab rate 'rising' after record plunge

MMR vaccination rates hit an all-time low earlier this year, according to figures released yesterday. But a health minister insisted the underlying trend was improving.

Melanie Johnson, the public health minister, gave the assurance as the government's latest immunisation figures for children across England revealed that take-up of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was down to 82% by March this year, from 84% a year earlier.

Health officials say more than 90% of children need to be vaccinated to prevent a possible epidemic of the diseases. The vaccination rate fell after research was published suggesting a possible link between MMR and autism, despite great efforts at reassurance from the scientific community and the government.

Commenting on the latest figures, Ms Johnson said they showed that "the overwhelming majority of parents and carers are choosing MMR as the best way to protect their children from these serious diseases".

She added that more recent figures, as yet unpublished, from the health protection agency (HPA) showed an increase in the number of parents taking their children for the vaccination. "Recent tracking data from the HPA, which provides an early indication of the number of children receiving MMR at 16 months of age, suggests a 6% rise in uptake levels between March and August this year," she said.

"This research is encouraging. It has in the past proved to be an accurate indicator of national vaccination trends and suggests that we are seeing a renewed confidence among parents and carers that MMR is the best way to protect children."