The Guardian view on vaccinations: a matter of public health | Editorial Read moreExperts warn that if MMR vaccination coverage in a community drops below a threshold of around 90-95%, so-called “herd immunity” is eroded, increasing the risk of outbreaks. “The scientific evidence is very clear, abundantly clear, that these vaccines are safe – there is no relationship with autism,” he said. Using recent numbers of measles cases, the team estimated the number of times the disease entered the country and its infectiousness, and then modelled the number of cases that would be expected should MMR vaccination coverage fall. While experts say that mandatory vaccination is not required in the UK, they warn there is no “quick fix” to drops in vaccine coverage, pointing out that even if rates among children bounce back, many individuals will have been left unprotected. “Immunisation is something that many people think of as personal, but it is actually part of being in a society,” he said.

Source: The Guardian July 24, 2017 15:00 UTC