Vaccine uptake among children in England has fallen since start of pandemic

UKHSA says adolescent vaccination rates have faltered, leaving many at risk of catching deadly diseases

Vaccination rates have fallen among schoolchildren in England since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, health officials have said, amid a global crisis of confidence in vaccines.

Fears have been expressed in recent months that thousands of children are at risk of catching deadly diseases, such as meningitis and blood poisoning, with significant outbreaks likely due to reduced vaccination rates.