‘Neighbouring boroughs are some of the worst for vaccine uptake in the region’

Public health officials in West Berkshire say Covid-19 is still circulating in the community, albeit in a more controlled manner.

They say the resurgence of other viral and respiratory illnesses, including influenza, is putting pressure on health and healthcare systems.

They also point to the recent return of measles in the face of reduced population levels of protection with the MMR vaccine.

Once celebrated as a triumph in public health, the World Health Organisation declared that the UK had eliminated measles in 2017.

This was short lived, and that status was rescinded a year later.

In West Berkshire, the number of unvaccinated pre-school children is less than 10 per cent.

“Nevertheless, there is no room for complacency as neighbouring boroughs are some of the worst for vaccine uptake in the region,” says Prof Dr John Ashton, interim director of public health Reading and West Berkshire.

“Due to the high transmissibility of the virus, it is anticipated that the situation will worsen before it gets better as most clinical cases of preventable childhood infection are unvaccinated.

“This is notable as Measles is one of the most contagious vaccine-preventable diseases.”

He said in West Berkshire, 95.3 per cent of babies aged one year were vaccinated against a range of diseases including diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, meningitis, and pneumonia in 2022/23.