Falling childhood vaccination rates since the pandemic have heightened concerns that measles, whooping cough and other preventable illnesses could regain a foothold across Ireland and Europe.
Ireland’s falling childhood vaccination rates are part of a wider pattern across Europe that health experts say could allow preventable illnesses to return. RTÉ reported that the drop has been most marked since 2019 and 2022, a period that overlapped with the Covid-19 pandemic and its disruption to routine healthcare. The trend is prompting concern that diseases once kept largely in check could regain a foothold.
On RTÉ Radio 1’s Today with David McCullagh, GP Máire Finn said the issue reflects a post-pandemic scepticism that has spread well beyond vaccination alone. She described the reasons as difficult to pin down, pointing to a mix of science fatigue, distrust of institutions and political polarisation. Finn warned that the current mood is especially dangerous because vaccine success has made many people less afraid of the diseases themselves, even as measles, polio, rubella and whooping cough remain serious threats.
Her warning comes against a sobering backdrop. WHO and UNICEF said in July 2025 that global childhood immunisation had held steady, but still left millions of infants without protection: 89% received at least one dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, while 14.3 million children had not received a single dose of any vaccine. In Europe and Central Asia, UNICEF said in 2024 that coverage remained below pre-pandemic levels, with declines in both MMR and DTP vaccination helping to fuel outbreaks of measles and whooping cough.
Finn also stressed that parents should not see vaccination as a matter of convenience alone. She said there is a personal right to make choices about healthcare, but also a wider duty to protect children and the community. Babies, she noted, are born with no immunity of their own and need protection early, which is why routine vaccines are scheduled across the first year of life. Delaying or spacing out those doses, she warned, makes serious illness more likely.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
