Why aren't people vaccinating against measles?

[TableTurners]

Just read about the measles outbreak in Enfield and Haringey at the moment - just wondering why a lot of people aren't vaccinating again measles these days?

Apparently the UK has lost it's measles free status or something, just seems weird to me that we're letting something old fashioned like this go rife again.

Andrew Wakefield still has a lot to answer for.

Refusing NHS treatment for the child (not their fault) would be unethical. And refusing school entry would just lead to even more isolated home schooled kids being "educated" by the people least able to do that.

Haven't read the rest of the thread, but I agree with the first person to answer.

A child in my family (not in the UK) died from measles. I know an elderly person in the UK whose eyesight was affected by measles. Vaccinating against measles absolutely makes sense. Please don't believe the conspiracy theorists.

I know Dsis for her youngest born just before covid had hell of a fight to get the routine vaccinations all done - so many additional barriers put in place even years after covid.

She got them all done - but wonder if there an additional gap in schools now on top of the pre covid dip in vaccination rate.

So be it if they risk giving pregnant women the measles - kids in school and nursery should be vaccinated

so irresponsible Andrew Wakefield prat

1. people are stupid

2. the horror of these diseases is no longer in the public consciousness so it’s easy to ignore that and bang on about stupid conspiracies.

This. I’m old enough to remember a time before children were vaccinated against measles. It’s a terrible illness. I have never in all my life been so ill as when I had it. I was eleven and had such a high temperature I was delirious. Creatures crawling out of the wallpaper to get me. I was too weak to get myself to the bathroom. And all the GP could offer to help was paracetamol.

Exactly - I reckon the “middle class” parents are the worst for questioning in this case - it’s Individual culture gone mad

None has said refuse treatment

just don’t allow to be in schools and nursery without vaccination - simple

I think that because of social media, many people have forgotten to think for themselves. If someone on SM starts spreading ' fake news' about vaccinations and false anecdotal 'evidence' regarding things that 'might' happen if a child is vaccinated, some find it easier to believe it than to look up what damage Measles can do, and why vaccinations will prevent this, and it's just easier to pretend it won't happen to your child.

Because they're complete idiots.

It’s been declining for many years since Andrew bloody Wakefield before SM

Unfortunately that will just lead to a herd of unemployable nutters.

I wonder if not allowing parents who don't vaccinate (unless for signed off by a real doctor) medical reasons from claiming benefits would work better.

A combination of Andrew Wakefield lingering damage and covid damage.

there’s also an element of complacency- I don’t know anyone whose child has died of measles (I only knew a few people whose child has had measles) whereas DH’s Granny who is 103 lost two children herself to measles and saw her sister lose 6 children to measles in 8 weeks. People forget and/or don’t understand the risks of it.

as someone with an immunocompromised child who was vaccinated but doesn’t have any immunity it’s frightening.

Yawn

I had a cousin who died from measles, our son has a permanent disability due to Men C which can now be vaccinated against.

Calling anti vaxxers stupid etc won’t change anything for the better, but will likely change things for the worse. Education however could change things for the better.

They think they are above it

it’s not the thick people it’s the people who think they are so high above everyone else!

you can’t help but swear and call names cos it’s just bloody outrageous - no one is suggesting doing that in real life

Because they believe the crap peddled by anti vax idiots.
Let’s see how they all like it when their kids start dying.

They should do catch ups of all early childhood vaccinations when children start school. That would hopefully catch some of the ones who just don't take their kids to vaccination clinics. Some parents of toddlers have very chaotic lives, but may well be happy for vaccinations to happen in school.

We can all guess and have our theories but that won’t change anything. What we need is public health officials getting into communities with low uptake and finding out why then they can look to tackle any barriers or misconceptions.

Thats actually a great idea. Make it opt out, so they get vaccinated by default unless parent can explain otherwise.

Parents should not have the right to risk their children's lives and health like this.

So pleased to see so many people saying 'stupid parents'.

And yes that does mean my SIL and the rest of the family for pandering to her privileged to never have known anyone suffer from an infectious disease logic.

No amount of organic food, wooden toys or Montessori Xmas fairs will save your kids hearing when measles comes to town.

I'm bloody proud of myself for ruining that Sunday lunch but making my feelings known.

I think partly it's because we don't have living memories of what our Grandparents/Great-Grandparents experienced with ridiculously high infant mortality and lifelong disabilities caused by diseases like Polio.

People now think measles is a bit of a pesky rash similar to chicken pox. Add to that the tinfoil hat anti-vax brigade and we're now in a position of these Victorian era diseases taking hold again.

When i take my cat to the cattery, I have to provide evidence that their vaccines are up to date, maybe we should have a similar scheme for children and going to school (I know, would never happen). Every child who can be, should be vaccinated.

Yes I had it at 5, I remember having to lie in a darkened room to help protect my eyesight (apparently) I was extremely ill for weeks and could easily have died. Vaccinations for my kids!

I remember some vaccinations were done at school back in the day, the whole class would be vaccinated together, perhaps they could bring something like that back, so parents couldn't forget or not bother.

IMO vaccinations should be compulsory unless there’s a medical reason not to vaccinate.
Or if the vaccinations themselves aren’t compulsory, being vaccinated should be a mandatory requirement for starting school.

THIS. A close friend is from Africa. They've seen what happens to kids who this happens to up close and personal, in the poor communities over there. And as a result they would never be an anti-vaxxer. People who refuse on the basis of conspiracy theories are deluded and dangerous.

Perhaps we should consider taking parents to court if their kids die or are injured from what they refused to vaccinate against.