In 2016, the UK had a major public health win when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it had eliminated measles. But two years later this status was revoked as cases doubled. Now, the UK is in the midst of a measles emergency with 140 cases reported so far in 2024 alone. How did the country go from elimination to emergency?
While some health experts argue that vaccine hesitancy is not to blame, trends in vaccination suggest the answer is more complicated. While many factors are at play, what is clear is that misinformation is undoubtedly a major threat in spreading killer childhood diseases like measles.