To be filled with fury at increase in measles cases

[GivenAndDenied]

We've had a letter sent round my DD school recently, telling us of an increase nationwide, and in our county, of measles, and offering advice on what to do to protect children.

I get that there are some children (and adults) who cannot be vaccinated for genuine health reasons relating to other existing health conditions. And my fury is absolutely not aimed at them. If everyone else is responsible and vaccinates their kids, then these vulnerable members of our society who cannot be vaccinated will be hopefully protected by herd immunity.

But it makes me furious that because of people listening to woo and bollocks about vaccines, that we are having an increase in life-threatening illnesses, and getting letters about how best to protect your children. How best to protect your children is to goddamn vaccinate them.

We vaccinated against CP for both dd as I think its outrageous that small children are used to protect adults. We are also moving to Aus soon and will need them vaccinated for school anyway.

@StarUtopia measles is the leading cause of childhood deaths globally. It really is much worse than chicken pox or the average flu despite your unfortunate experience.

My 20 year old daughter was fully vaccinated and yet managed to catch Measles last year, it's a horrible disease and she was worryingly sick with it. As a family we had to have our immunity tested and I, at 49, had the most immunity and her 22 year old sister (also vaccinated) had little to none. Doctors here have speculated that the cold chain of their vaccines may have been broken (they were both vaccinated in an ex-pat clinic in a 3rd world country). They've both been re- vaccinated and hopefully this time it will take!

I don't think the vaccination system is perfect, but I do it's better to do it than not.

There are people who have extreme or life changing reactions to vaccinations and it must be horrendous for them and their families, but that is VERY, VERY rare.

I spent a lot of time reading about both sides of the arguement and I spoke to a lot of friends who have both children and medical knowledge and it seemed to me that everyone sensible and intelligent that I know chooses to vaccinate. All the anti-vax arguements I found sounded hysterical, or were poorly written, or both.

Something which bothers me a lot about the anti-vaxers I've met is they want to believe that the vaccination programme is simply there to poison their children, because these diseases no longer exist. Em, WHY do they no longer exist? And actually, yes they do still exist. Smallpox is the only one they actually say has been eradicated and that's why they don't vaccinate against it. All the others are still out there and as a PP pointed out, we live in a global community now.

For the vast majority of people, vaccinations don't do them any harm, so why would you want to risk that??

Also one of my kids once had rotavirus when he was less than 1 year old and spent 3 days in hospital on a drip. The rotavirus vaccine is available where we live, but it's not compulsory and you have to pay for it. I didn't bother because my kids are pretty tough (obviously they had all the compulsory ones). And the experience of watching your kid suffer with a potentially life threatening illness that you could have prevented is not an experience I would wish on anyone.

@victoriaspongecake - of course people are free to believe what they wish, even if it is complete nonsense, but when that belief translates into behaviour ie not vaccinating their children, that then puts young babies or people with compromised immune systems at risk. I know you cant force people to vaccinate if it's against their 'belief', but there should be consequences for parents who choose not to vaccinate.
I live in South Africa, where there is a huge AIDS/ HIV epidemic and a lot of children with weakened immune systems because of this. Our son had his 3 yr booster injections here (or the SA equivalent at least - his 1st MMR jabs were given in the UK) - the Dr informed us that the vaccinations in SA are stronger than the ones administered in the UK because Europe has gotten complacent about disease, whereas in SA where people are more likely to die from preventable illnesses, they take the threat of these diseases far more seriously, because it's a genuine danger rather than a disease we look at as something that our grandparents might have caught in the 40's.

@victoriaspongecake but people 'not believing' in vaccines put other people at risk. Herd immunity is vital to keep those who can't have the vaccine safe.

It's not about not believing it's about believing bogus science and being duped into believing something which is wrong.

Totally agree with implementing at no vaccine not school rule.

DH had mumps as a child. It left him deaf in one ear. These are serious diseases.

Anti vaxxers are essentially saying I prefer the Darwin theory of survival of the fittest.

The children of anti-Vaxxers should not be allowed in nurseries. At all.

I don’t have words bad enough to describe Andrew Wakefield

We all owe our lives to vaccination. Fancy a bit of polio or smallpox Andrew?

If you want to be alternately entertained and horrified checkout the Arnica page on Facebook. Home of the anti-vaxx movement. I fell upon it years ago and still read it most days.

Most of it is middling infuriating (cancer is a conspiracy and can be cured with cannabis oil as well as all the anti-vax bollocks). Some is hilarious (grounding sheets for your bed to harness the earth's forces in your sleep). Some is genuinely awful with people refusing to give antibiotics and pain relief to their toddlers screaming from ear infections in favour of homeopathy (natch) and garlic cloves in the ear.

Arnica is exactly the kind of fucked up echo chamber that makes people think anti-science has any legitimacy

Oh and I've not been on there this week but I'll bet they are blaming increase in measles on "shedding" from those who are vaccinated

I have no time for anti vaccer's & think we should adopt the US policy of 'no vaccinations, no schooling'

The arguments used by anti vaccer's are laughable, there is no solid science to them. I have a lot of sympathy for the very few who react to a vaccine, but it isn't enough in my eyes to justify the masses not vaccinating.

I've definitely been given 2 doses of the MMR. Plus another dose of MR when I was in primary school.

Still didn't stop me getting mumps when I was 21 and measles 5 years after that. There is some concern that the MMR doesn't give lifelong immunity and in SOME individuals can wear off in their early 20's- however it should still be given though.

. I recall having measles as a child and whilst it wasn't pleasant, I've had much worse colds and personally found chickenpox much worse.

Possible complications of measles include blindness, deafness and death. When I had it as a child in tbe 60s the doctor made my parents cover the bedroom windows with thick blankets to keep the light out.

Just been on Arnica. Apparently measles is beneficial as it opens up the brain. One woman there is claiming that her daughter was reading at 2 because she had measles at 11 months and it made her able to assimilate information faster.

You couldn't make it up.

And just in case anyone wants to know having measles is fucking horrible. 2 weeks in a darkened room because it makes you very light sensitive, constantly changing the bedsheets because the fever you've got makes you sweat so much it's like someone has poured water over you, a cough that makes a smokers cough seem tame in comparison. Oh and you'll be spending a while eating your meals through a straw because the constant coughing and the sore mouth it gives you means eating hurts

Oh my goodness that Facebook page!!!!! It took all my will power not to comment! Apparently one women's child has to wear glasses and that's a direct result of the MMR jab. 🙄

It's so worrying that these people live among us.

Earlier this week I had an appointment with an ENT consultant about my worsening deafness. I have had partially impaired hearing since I had measles at the age of 6. I am now 74. I am totally deaf in one ear (no unscarred tympanic membrane remaining) and wear a hearing aid in the ‘good’ ear. The consultant talked about how complications like mine virtually disappeared when measles vaccine was introduced but he is seeing an increase now as more children are becoming infected.
I have had ear infections all my life.
Measles can also affect the eyes and even the heart.
My dc were vaccinated and so were my dgc. Deafness is horrible.

The children of anti-Vaxxers should not be allowed in nurseries. At all.

Agree. Unless there’s a medical reason.

Terrifying isn't it blaablaa? I must have lost days of my life reading it.

I won't use the MMR.

I would do a single measles vaccine but there isn't one available.

In france and many other countries, if your child isn't vaccinated (unless they are medically unable to be) then they are barred from schools and nurseries, as should be!

yes, but we don't live in france

@dappled truly frightening. Those poor children

I wasn't aware that you could immunize against chicken pox but if it can be irradicted, I don't see why it's not offered.

Due to a possible increase in shingles in older people. Sorry I don't have research to hand but as for most children it is not serious but shingles in elderly people is more likely to be serious.

I agree I would like to see a 'no vax, no education' policy but one huge get out in the USA is religious belief.

www.livingwhole.org/how-to-get-a-vaccine-religious-exemption/

although according to the link vaccines that include chopped up feotus include HIV and Ebola. Wow I wonder why they don't vaccinate against HIV in sub Saharan Africa?