Feel like I’m banging my head against a wall

[Inmy40]

Hi,
I’ll keep it short. My DH is travelling to various US states later this year for work. His DM doesn’t think he was immunised for measles or had measles as a child. We have an immune compromised child at home who possibly due to treatment isn’t protected against measles should DH bring it home from the US. It’s taken 4 months to get an appt at the travel clinic at the gp to get an mmr booster to have just been told no. You would have had one starting school at 5 and then again at 13. No paperwork or records to show this mind. I’m the same age as DH, now in my 50s. I had a tb and a rubella, boys did not in secondary school. Honestly why is it so difficult? Private costs are ridiculously high and out of our reach unfortunately probably because of measles cases in the US.

Can you get it through your DC's doctor?

Same Doctor. Not interested. Can’t get DC re vaccinated yet as it’s a live vaccine and he’s been too unwell. He’s already been re vaccinated against hib, pneumonia, covid, flu, meningitis, hpv.

It’s a terrible Gp to be fair. Missed my dc’s cancer for a year despite going there regularly

I don’t think we had a choice at that age and were vaccinated routinely

Not clear to me why you think he is more likely to get measles in the US than U.K., but leaving that aside, if it’s a work trip and he explains his concerns about your DC’s vulnerability and why he believes where he is going is higher risk that the U.K., would his work pay for the vaccinations? Drop in the ocean compared to the cost of the airfares.

But have you shopped around privately- would have thought a standard vaccine like this wouldn’t be that expensive?

dh probably was vaccinated starting school at 5 but there were no mmr boosters in secondary school in the 80’s unless someone accurately can remember having one? I know for definite I had rubella in year 7, girls only and tb in year 9. Have no idea why the nurse said he had an mmr in secondary school. It’s the red tape I’m frustrated with. His immunity may have worn off but no you can’t have one despite having an immune deficient child at home. I’m just trying to prevent a possible nasty illness.

can he be tested for immunity?
DC's consultant?

I’m 53. Don’t remember childhood vaccines but in my teens we had rubella (which is German measles, not measles measles) and a BCG (maybe earlier than teens for that, actually).

MMR didn’t exist.

Cases of measles in the us are sky high due to declining vaccination there. It’s in the news constantly. DH work won’t cover because he should be covered by the nhs. It’s like a vicious circle. Vaccines privately in this area are £300 plus and DH will definitely not pay it now the nurse has told him he doesn’t need it. I guess I just have to keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks Ddakji. Same age. He’s not covered, I know he’s not but there’s nothing else I can do. My memory of the vaccines at secondary is the same as yours. Medical gaslighting I think.

There are quite a few cases of measles in parts of the US because there are so many anti vax era over there.
RFK Jr their Health Secretary isn’t encouraging parents to get their DC vaccinated either. Children have died recently in Texas.

Have you googled? Lots of options. Superdrug is £45-£90

healthclinics.superdrug.com/services/mumps-measles-and-rubella-vaccine/

Great link for Superdrug thanks but not one near us unfortunately. DH is so stubborn and now he’s been told he doesn’t need one that’ll be it. He’s already admitted that he would have believed the drs when they said ds wasn’t ill and not kept taking him back.

There is a high rate of measles in the uk also ….