The South West has recorded the highest whooping cough vaccination rate among pregnant women in England this year, despite an overall decline in vaccinations against preventable diseases.

Of the women living in the South West who gave birth in September 2025, 78.9 per cent had been vaccinated against whooping cough; up from 64.1 per cent in 2023. Vaccination passes from mother to the developing baby and provides the child with vital protection against the disease, which is particularly dangerous to newborn babies, before they are old enough for their first vaccinations.

However, data gathered by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that almost one in five children starting primary school are not up to date with their vaccinations, leaving them vulnerable to serious diseases such as measles and polio. The agency says that there are also “too many” teenagers leaving school without receiving the vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), which is linked to an increased chance of developing several cancers in both men and women. Health professionals are now urging parents to ensure their child is fully vaccinated.

Dr Alasdair Wood, consultant in health protection and vaccine-preventable disease lead at UKHSA South West, said: “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.

“It is really encouraging to see the South West leading the country for whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy. In 2023, 60 per cent of mothers took up the vaccine, now in 2025, it is 80 per cent. This 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.”

A major outbreak of whooping cough in 2024 saw 15,000 cases and the deaths of 11 babies.

From January 1, 2026, GPs will also offer children the MMRV vaccine, which combines the traditional MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine with the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine. This will be the first time children will be routinely vaccinated against chickenpox in the UK.