Ask The Expert: What’s Behind the Rise in Measles, and How Can I Best Protect My Child?
Many people might associate measles with previous generations, or as an illness that does not cause serious health problems anymore. However, recent figures in the UK show a rise in confirmed cases, some of which have caused measles-related deaths.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported that the majority of measles cases were in unvaccinated children. In the first quarter of 2026, for example, only 16 of 390 confirmed cases had previously received one dose of the MMR vaccine, and nine had received two.
"It’s important, I think, to have a doctor to talk with, rather than having to navigate so many (often) conflicting opinions online."
If you’re a parent, you might be very worried to hear that measles is on the rise, and you’ll almost certainly be wondering how to best protect your child, and the symptoms to look out for if you suspect your child has measles.
We also know that you might have questions about the measles vaccination, and these questions deserve to be listened to without judgement.
To help you best navigate the childhood vaccination programme, we spoke with Dr Lauri-Ann Van der Poel a Consultant Paediatrician at The Medical Chambers Kensington. She has extensive experience in childhood immunisation and vaccine research, and when she works with families, she follows the UK childhood vaccination schedule. Her approach is guided by her experience, and she always aims to listen to parents’ concerns and explain any research clearly in a way that helps them to make confident decisions around their child’s health.
Measles is exceptionally contagious, and when vaccination coverage is high, there are fewer opportunities for the virus to spread from one person to another. This is sometimes called herd immunity.
When vaccination rates fall, herd protection starts to become less effective. This creates more opportunities for measles to be passed on, particularly from people who haven’t been vaccinated.
We have seen this happening recently in England. Measles cases for the first half of this year have already surpassed what they were for the whole of 2025, and the majority of cases were in unvaccinated children.
I completely understand why some parents might have questions around the safety of vaccinations, especially with so much scare-mongering in the past couple of decades. I take time to speak with families about the safety of vaccinations, and never want any parent to feel worried about being judged – rather I’m more interested in finding out what a parent’s reasons are for not vaccinating their child.
"I take time to speak with families about the safety of vaccinations, and never want any parent to feel worried about being judged."
I have seen, from my attendance at various vaccines conferences around the world, the amount of research that goes into vaccine roll-outs. Vaccines aren’t simply created and introduced without extensive testing, investigation and research. Vaccine safety and efficacy are carefully examined before any new vaccine is used in national programmes, and they continue to be monitored during roll-out.
For me, the important thing is that parents have access to clear, reliable information about the decisions they’re being asked to make around their child’s health. It’s important, I think, to have a doctor to talk with, rather than having to navigate so many (often) conflicting opinions online.
Q: How does measles spread, and when should parents be concerned?
A. Measles spreads very easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.
One of the difficult things with measles is that a person can be infectious before the typical ‘measles rash’ appears. People are usually infectious from around four days before a rash develops, until about four days afterwards, so when you think about it, that’s a long time to be able to pass the illness on.
Q: I think my child has measles. What should I do?
A. The first thing is to call your doctor, or 111 for medical advice rather than taking your child directly to a doctor’s waiting room.
Make sure to list all of your child’s symptoms, and whether you think they’ve recently been in contact with someone who has measles.
The first symptoms of measles can look very ordinary – a high temperature, a blocked or runny nose, sneezing and a cough. A rash usually appears a few days after these symptoms begin, often starting on the face, then spreading to the body.
You can see, therefore, why measles can be tricky to identify at first. A child with a fever and a runny nose could have any number of common childhood illnesses.
Measles symptoms in children to look for:
A high temperature
A blocked or runny nose, sneezing and a cough
Red, sore eyes
Small white spots inside the mouth (known as Koplik's spots)
A rash, usually appearing a few days after the initial symptoms, often starting on the face before spreading to the body
If your child has the symptoms I’ve talked about above and you think they might have measles – especially if they are unvaccinated or they’ve been in contact with someone who has measles – it’s important that you seek expert medical advice. However, call your doctor before turning up at the GP surgery. This gives them time to advise you on what to do, and prevent your child from potentially infecting vulnerable people.
Measles is highly infectious, so try to avoid any contact with babies, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems while you’re unsure about whether your child has the illness. If your doctor confirms your child has measles, they should stay away from school or nursery until at least four days after the rash first appears.
There is no actual treatment for measles. We manage the symptoms in uncomplicated cases of measles by giving your child plenty of fluids, and paracetamol to bring their fever down.
If your child develops complications, it’s incredibly important to seek medical advice as soon as possible. Difficulty breathing, a child who is unusually drowsy or hard to wake, seizures, or a child who appears severely dehydrated could need urgent medical help.
"Prevention through vaccination is a much better way to protect a child, rather than relying on them being lucky enough."
Q. Can measles cause serious complications?
A:Absolutely. I think some of us have forgotten how serious these illnesses can be, because routine vaccinations have made them so much less common.
If you don’t know anyone who has been really unwell with measles, it can be easy to think of the illness as simply a rash and a slight fever.
And while most children will recover from measles, complications that can occur can include chest infections, dehydration and seizures. More serious issues can include pneumonia, meningitis and encephalitis. And, as mentioned above, in rarer cases, a child can die.
Babies are at an increased risk of complications from measles, as they may be too young to get their routine vaccination.
If a baby has not been vaccinated because they are too young, it’s particularly important to try not to expose them to anyone with confirmed measles. However, as we have discussed above, it’s not always easy to identify the illness early on. Remaining vigilant about any worrying symptoms, contacting your GP if you have any concerns, and sticking to the vaccination schedule in the UK are the best ways to help your child.
Q. Who is most at risk of measles, and can you still catch it if you’ve been vaccinated?
A. Measles can cause complications for anyone, but some people are more vulnerable to becoming seriously ill from the infection.
Babies and young children, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems (sometimes linked with a healthcare condition, or medical treatment) might fall into this ‘vulnerable’ bracket, although it’s not always easy to guess exactly who could get very unwell. I think COVID taught us that you can’t always predict who will become seriously unwell from a viral infection.
Sometimes a child can have a viral illness and recover remarkably quickly. At other times, the same infection can cause a much more serious illness that requires a hospital stay, sometimes, worryingly, in intensive care.
The good news is that vaccination delivers very strong protection against measles. While no vaccine can guarantee total immunity, it can significantly reduce the likelihood of you getting infected, and helps to reduce the risk of any serious illness.
I think it’s really important that we don’t regard ‘healthy children’ as not being at risk of measles, and serious illness resulting from an infection. Prevention through vaccination is a much better way to protect a child, rather than relying on them being lucky enough to avoid the illness or only have a mild infection.
Q. What is the MMRV vaccine, and how is it different from the MMR vaccine?
A. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella, while the MMRV vaccine protects against all those infections, as well as varicella (better known as chickenpox).
From January 2026, the routine programme in the UK began using the combined MMRV vaccine, in place of the MMR vaccine. For children born on or after January 1st 2025, the routine doses are offered at 12 and 18 months.
I think it’s helpful to understand that this change wasn’t made without thorough research and testing. The introduction of the varicella vaccination followed recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCV1) after looking at the benefits, and the vaccines used now have been extensively researched. The current schedule has been created to give children protection at the age when they’re most susceptible to these common infections, alongside when their immune systems can respond appropriately to vaccination.
Q. When should my child be vaccinated, and what if they've missed a dose?
A. We follow the UK childhood vaccination schedule here at The Medical Chambers Kensington, and as I have mentioned, it’s been carefully created to give children protection when they’re most vulnerable.
The introduction of the MMRV vaccination is now given at 18-months. The full schedule can be found here, and because schedules can differ in relation to when your child was born, it’s important to check exactly when their vaccination is due.
If your child has missed a vaccination, try not to worry too much. The most useful thing you can do is contact your GP to arrange an appointment as soon as possible. They should be able to advise you on the doses that your child has missed (or needs) and when they should have them. It can also be helpful to keep track of what’s due yourself, as sometimes your doctor might not contact you, or you may have simply missed an appointment without fully realising.
Q. Should I be worried about measles if we’re travelling abroad?
If you’re travelling and your child is not fully vaccinated, it’s worth talking to your doctor. In some cases, babies between six and 11 months can be given an early dose of the MMR or MMRV vaccine if they’re going somewhere where there is an increased risk of measles. This might be different from their routine doses, so it’s wise to ask your doctor if your child will still need to revert to the recommended schedule when you’re back from your travels.
I know that family life can get so busy, especially when you’re planning a big trip somewhere, but I’d really encourage parents to give themselves plenty of time to check before travelling, as a doctor can look at the details of where you’re going, your child’s age, their vaccination history, and the current situation in that destination.
"I feel that anyone feeling confused shouldn’t feel embarrassed about asking as many questions as they want about the safety of vaccines."
Q. How can our clinic help?
A. As a paediatrician who sees parents with a variety of concerns day in, day out, I know that navigating childhood vaccinations can sometimes feel complicated or overwhelming. Particularly when the schedule changes, or you’re unsure about whether your child might have missed a dose.
We’re here to give clear, personalised advice, and we offer vaccinations, including the MMRV vaccine, following the UK vaccination schedule.
I never judge parents, and I feel that anyone feeling confused shouldn’t feel embarrassed about asking as many questions as they want about the safety of vaccines. I’m here to listen, and to offer you the information you need to make decisions around your child’s health that feel right for you.
The recent rise in measles is a reminder that these once-common infections haven’t disappeared. But they’re also here to remind us about how effective vaccination can be in preventing them.
Visit a Paediatrician at our London clinic
To learn more about childhood vaccinations, please telephone 020 7244 4200, and we will be happy to answer your questions. You can also make an appointment online.
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Ask The Expert: What’s Behind the Rise in Measles, and How Can I Best Protect My Child?
