MILLIONS of teenagers could be at risk of contracting rare but serious diseases as a third miss out on vital jabs, new figures reveal.
The number of teenagers who were vaccinated against polio, diphtheria and other fatal conditions fell by 7 per cent per cent last year.
A third of teens missed out on life-saving jabs last year, new figures suggestGetty – Contributor
According to data published by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), only 69 per cent of 13 to 14 year olds who were in year 9 in 2021-22 had the MenACWY vaccine and the Td/IPV booster.
MenACWY is typically offered in year 9 or 10 to children aged 13-15 as protection against serious infections like meningitis and septicaemia, which can be deadly.
The 3-in-1 Td/IPV booster helps provide teens with long-lasting protection against tetanus, diphtheria and polio, diseases that can result in serious illness or even death.
Pre-pandemic the levels of vaccination uptake for the boosters was around 88 per cent, meaning there has been a steep plunge in rates.
UKHSA stresses that those eligible for the vaccines should be up to date before they leave school.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA said: “These vaccines offer the best protection as young people start their journey into adulthood and mixing more widely – whether going to college, starting work, travelling or going to summer festivals.
Dr Vanessa urged anyone who missed out on their teenage vaccines to contact their school nurse, school immunisation team or GP surgery to arrange a catch-up.
It comes as cases of diptheria have soared in the UK over the last year.
The highly contagious bacterial infection, prominent in Victorian times, can cause difficulty breathing, heart problems and even death.
Scientists have warned outbreaks seen across the UK over the past year have been “mostly linked to incoming migrants” from Afghanistan.
While serious, it is relatively rare in the UK because babies and children have been routinely vaccinated against the bug since the 1940s.
Those who are unvaccinated are highly susceptible to the bug, which can also cause nasty ulcers on the skin, if it’s not treated with antibiotics.