In Wales the kids who took MMR vaccines reached its highest levels.

About 85.8 per cent of five-year-old children had completed the two-dose course of the vaccine according to the figures.

Parents were persuaded to vaccinate their children following last year’s measles outbreak in Wales that was the largest in a generation.

It might also be due to the decision of the General Medical Council that recently striked Dr Andrew Wakefield off the medical register. Many people had become apprehensive of using the jabs.

The coverage remains still significantly below the 95 per cent as recommended by the World Health Organisation to prevent outbreaks.

Dr Richard Roberts, head of Public Health Wales’ vaccine preventable disease programme, said, “It is excellent news that the take-up of MMR is going up, particularly the second dose as two doses are necessary for protection. Take-up has been boosted by the measles outbreak last year as parents have realised the disease is still a threat.”