Give children the best start: Vaccinate this New Year

As families across the South West celebrate the start of 2026, it is the perfect time to think about one of the most important, lasting, and life-saving gifts you can give your child, and it is completely free: vaccination.

The UKHSA know parents want to do the best for their children, and at the New Year, many will be making resolutions and thinking about how to give their families the healthiest start to 2026. One of the longest-lasting and potentially life-saving gifts you can give is free protection against diseases.

The UK is fortunate to have one of the best free childhood and teenage vaccination programmes in the world, protecting against serious diseases such as measles, meningitis, polio, whooping cough and cancers caused by HPV. These vaccines have saved countless lives and prevented devastating illness and disability. Yet uptake is falling, and in recent years we have sadly seen increases in vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough spreading among children.

Grandparents may remember the polio outbreaks of the 1950s that paralysed thousands of children in the UK, with many confined to "iron lungs" for months. When the polio vaccine was introduced, parents welcomed it with relief, and the disease was virtually eliminated. While younger generations of parents and children haven't been exposed to these tragic complications, it doesn't mean the risk has gone away.

Recent figures show worrying trends. Annual uptake data from UKHSA showed that almost one in five children starting primary school are not fully protected against serious illnesses like measles and polio. Among teenagers, far too many leave school without protection against several types of cancer, affecting boys and girls, caused by HPV.

However, there is also some encouraging news. The South West has achieved the highest whooping cough vaccination rate among pregnant women of any region in England, with 78.9% of those who gave birth in September 2025 now vaccinated, up from 64.1% in 2023. This follows a major outbreak in 2024 that saw nearly 15,000 cases nationally and tragically claimed the lives of 11 babies in England. Vaccination during pregnancy passes protection to babies from birth, giving 91% protection against infant death from whooping cough.

We want everyone to have access to the best possible protection against preventable diseases. That is why UKHSA and the NHS continue to review and update the vaccine schedule based on the latest evidence. From 1 January 2026, GPs will start to offer children the chickenpox vaccine, combined with the MMR vaccine. This combined 'MMRV' vaccine provides protection against four serious diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox (also called 'varicella'). This will mean many thousands of children across the South West will gain additional protection against chickenpox for the first time in the UK.

Dr Alasdair Wood, Consultant in Health Protection and Vaccine Preventable Disease Lead at UKHSA South West, said:

"As we enter the New Year, parents across the South West will be writing to-do lists and thinking about how they can make 2026 the best year yet for their family. This is the perfect time to make sure children are fully protected against serious diseases.

"Starting school without the right vaccinations leaves children vulnerable to diseases like measles and whooping cough, conditions that have caused major outbreaks in recent years, leaving many children with serious health complications. Vaccination will help prevent your child from having to endure the misery and devastation these diseases can cause and save countless lives every year.

"We are so pleased the NHS will be offering the new MMRV vaccine from January, meaning children will be even better protected. The programme will have a really positive impact on the health of children and lead to fewer missed nursery and school days.

"It is really encouraging to see the South West leading the country for whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy. In 2023, 60% of mothers took up this vaccine; now in 2025, it is 80%. That means more and more babies are being born with protection against this potentially deadly disease. If you are pregnant and approaching 20 weeks, please speak to your midwife or GP about getting your whooping cough vaccine.

"We know parents want the best for their children, but busy lives can make it hard to find the time. That is why we are urging families across the South West to check their child's vaccination record now and book any missed appointments. Giving your child this protection is one of the most important gifts you can offer for a healthy start to 2026."

Brian D'Souza, whose son Joel was hospitalised with the flu, lives in Torquay, Devon. He said:

"What Joel went through was scary and traumatic for our whole family. His flu infection led to a serious hospital admission, time in intensive care, and weeks of treatment. Joel is up to date with all his other vaccinations, and we believe that if he had received his flu vaccination in time, his hospital admission could have been avoided.

"Our advice to other parents is to take the wonderful opportunity available with all the vaccinations on offer for free on the NHS. Keep yourselves and your children vaccinated to protect them from infection and avoid hospital admissions. It is the best way to keep your family safe."

Vaccines are offered free on the NHS, starting from eight weeks old, with boosters and additional doses throughout childhood and adolescence. If your child has missed any, catch-up appointments are available through GPs and school programmes across the South West.

Pregnant women are also offered vaccination against whooping cough, with the immunity passing from mother to baby to provide vital protection from the early days of life. The vaccine is usually offered around the 20-week scan and is most effective if received before 32 weeks, but can be given any time up until birth. Across the South West, areas including Bath and North East Somerset and Torbay have achieved vaccination rates of over 86%, showing how many expectant mothers are choosing to protect their babies.

This New Year, give your child the gift of protection, a gift that lasts a lifetime. Check your child's vaccination record and book any missed doses today.