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The Conversation
Dan Stratton, Lecturer Biomedical Health Science, The Open University

Vaccines have been so successful that some people have forgotten why we need them

Measles causes a distinctive rash that usually begins on the face before spreading across the body. Falling vaccination rates have contributed to its resurgence. phichet chaiyabin/Shutterstock

Three measles-related deaths have been reported in England in 2026. One child died from an acute infection, another from the long-term effects of measles, and an adult with an underlying immune condition also died.

Yet misconceptions about vaccination persist, including the belief that improved hygiene and sanitation have made vaccines unnecessary. Why do such claims continue to attract support when the evidence for vaccination is so strong?

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