Health: Childhood vaccination hits record

Childhood immunisation reached record levels in England last year, with more children under two being vaccinated than ever before, the Government announced yesterday.

Uptake of diphtheria, tetanus and polio vaccine was 96 per cent, while 94 per cent of children were immunised against whooping cough and flu, and 92 per cent against measles, mumps and rubella.

The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Kenneth Calman, said: "We have reduced the incidence of childhood diseases to their lowest ever levels." In 1995 there were fewer than 60 cases of measles confirmed, out of about 7,800 notifications of suspected cases. Before immunisation began in 1968, notifications averaged about 400,000 a year.

Department of Health 1996 Immunisation Against Infectious Disease, pounds 6.95 from HMSO.