Six-year-old Samuel Larkman-Jones died in 2019 after catching measles before he could be vaccinated.

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.

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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.

  • @kbotcEnglish
    11•10 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.