According to the Travel Health Pro website, health professionals have been told they may need to prioritize who gets the rabies vaccine due to shortages. Two types of rabies vaccine are currently in short supply: Bavarian Nordic's Rabipur and Sanofi's Verorab. Prioritization for rabies vaccination should be given to travelers to endemic areas for long stays, young children, and individuals planning animal contact such as vets or animal handlers.
It remains unclear what specific measures are being taken to address the shortages or the projected timeline for resolving supply issues. Measles cases are rising across Europe and the UK, with health officials urging holidaymakers to check their vaccinations before traveling, according to the Health Service Executive in Ireland. There have been ongoing cases and recent outbreaks of measles in Europe and the UK.
In England, 158 laboratory-confirmed measles cases have been documented between January 1 and February 23, 2026, according to the UK Health Security Agency. Most measles cases in England have occurred among children aged 10 and below, with London representing two-thirds of infections. Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral infection spread mostly by contact with the saliva of an infected wild or domestic animal, and is almost always fatal in humans once symptoms appear, as reported by the Travel Health Pro website.
It causes an estimated 59,000 human deaths annually worldwide. 6%, below the World Health Organization target of 95% needed to prevent outbreaks, according to the Health Service Executive in Ireland. No fatalities linked to measles have been documented in England during this year, health authorities said.
Unknowns include which specific European countries are experiencing measles outbreaks and the current vaccination rate for measles among adults traveling from the UK.