Childhood vaccination rates in Knowsley are declining sharply, with figures consistently below the national and regional average, prompting a councillor to say something “is going very wrong.”
Declining Uptake Across All Immunisations
There has been a downward trend across all childhood immunisations in Knowsley over the past 10 to 12 years, according to Valérie Decraene of the UK Health Security Agency. Speaking at a Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on Tuesday, she noted that the decrease has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic. “That isn’t unique to Knowsley, that has been seen across the board. But the decrease has been steeper in Knowsley,” she said.
For example, coverage for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination (MMR) was 76.9% in Knowsley in 2024/5, well below the 95% target threshold for herd immunity. This results in a heightened risk of transmission. In June last year, there was a measles outbreak in Knowsley, primarily affecting school-age children. Dr Decraene added: “The risk, unfortunately, hasn’t gone away. We’re seeing a lot of measles transmission across the UK now.”
In 2013/14, Knowsley hovered near the 95% threshold, sitting above the national and regional average. Since then, uptake has dropped by 17%, while the national and regional average is around 84%. For the six-in-one vaccine, given to children in doses starting at eight weeks and finishing around 18 months, Knowsley’s uptake has gone from above the national average in 2013/14 to well below. The proportion of children receiving the jab has sunk from 98% to around 86%, while the English and North West average remains above 90%.
Adult Vaccination and Respiratory Illnesses
For adults, flu and COVID-19 vaccine uptake is below the national and regional averages. The proportion of older adults getting the first dose of the shingles vaccine is stable at around 37%, in line with the national picture. However, for the second dose, it falls to 16%, well below the English average of 25%. Meanwhile, emergency hospital admissions from respiratory illnesses are increasing in the borough and consistently above the average for the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board and for England in general.
Community Interventions Urged
Dr Decraene said that there is a general trend of declining vaccination uptake across England, but it is more pronounced in Knowsley. She advised the council to push for increased vaccination uptake through community-based interventions, especially among deprived and underserved groups, and by targeting health inequalities among certain sectors of the community.
Cabinet member for health, Cllr Christine Bannon, said: “Something is going very wrong in Knowsley. I’d welcome community-based interventions. I think we’ve got to a point now where we know there’s vaccine hesitancy but we cannot keep saying that. It is something that’s not right in our area. Is it that there’s not enough access? Do we need more community-led intervention? We have to do something. I do think it’s something we need to shed a laser light on now, and it’s something we need to take really seriously.”
Knowsley consultant in public health Beth Milton said: “We’ve got population groups who have potentially become more blasé about the risk.” She added that Knowsley and Sefton are now looking at gaining new insight from families around the reasons behind the fall in childhood vaccination rates.
