‘A lot of vaccine hesitancy’: how north London council is responding to measles outbreak

Dr Philippa Vincent says figures show all the children in Enfield with measles are unvaccinated. Photograph: The Guardian

For people living and working in Enfield, the current measles outbreak is a shock – but not a surprise. The borough has struggled with low vaccine uptake for years, fighting against vaccine hesitancy, online misinformation and health inequalities.

Working closely with communities to persuade them to come forward for vaccinations is an “ongoing public health challenge”, which Enfield – like many boroughs – is grappling with, said Enfield council’s director of public health, Dudu Sher-Arami.