A mother whose child died aged six from a brain inflammation caused by measles hopes sharing her story will encourage parents to “vaccinate more”.

It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned of measles outbreaks in parts of London.

Gemma Larkman-Jones wants more parents to consider having their children vaccinated sooner.

Prof Dame Jenny Harries, UKHSA chief executive, warned that measles is spreading among unvaccinated communities, and added that a “national call to action” is needed across the country.

Vaccination rates across the UK have been dropping, but there are particular concerns in parts of the capital as well as in some areas of the West Midlands.

  • originalucifer
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    10 months ago

    interesting, thank you!

    if the problem is these delayed vaccinations, why isnt that the meat of this problem? seems less about communication and more about a failed implementation plan (in general)

    • @[email protected]
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      4410 months ago

      The problem isn’t just delayed vaccinations.

      The kid could have had a health issue that prevented him from receiving the vaccine.

      The real issue is people who choose not to get it for any reason other than a health problem that prevents them from getting it. This kid could be alive if it hadn’t spread to him from unvaccinated people.

      Herd immunity saves lives.

    • @kbotc
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      1110 months ago

      Delayed vaccination was an anti vax talking point awhile back: Somehow parents were convinced by morons on the internet that you had to space vaccines out more. Basically once you start questioning the actual science, the more susceptible you are to just never actually finish the vaccine series, so antivaxxers win.

      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882604/

      Intentionally delayed vaccine doses are not uncommon. Children whose parents delay vaccinations may be at increased risk of not receiving all recommended vaccine doses by 19 months of age and are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Providers should consider strategies such as educational materials that address parents’ vaccine safety and efficacy concerns to encourage timely vaccination.

    • @[email protected]
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      410 months ago

      For example some doctors, if a baby is suspected to have an acute form “Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome” to the egg, they prefer to delay the shot of a few months waiting for the diagnosis, in the tiny chance that if some egg proteins are present in the vaccine (some of them are grew in chicken eggs)