Infectious diseases can spread quickly from person to person, affecting entire communities. When a large enough portion of a community is vaccinated, it becomes hard for the disease to spread due to the small number of susceptible individuals—this is called ‘herd immunity’. It’s especially important for protecting those who can’t be vaccinated, like young children or those undergoing treatments such as cancer care. Vaccinating your child not only safeguards them but also protects the most vulnerable in your community. For herd immunity to be effective, a high vaccination rate is needed across the community. While UK vaccination rates are generally high, some areas fall below the level required, leading to recent outbreaks of measles and whooping cough due to declining herd immunity. Low vaccination rates in your area can leave the most vulnerable at greater risk.