Measles

[Doob]

So at work today (I'm a teacher) we were told there has been an outbreak of measles (the kid is off now) and to contact your gp if you are or suspect youre pregnant. Me thinking I didn't want to waste an appointment thought I'd just ring nhs direct and the nurse there said it was urgent to see my gp to check if a) I'd had 2 lots of the mmr jab and b) bloods to check I carried the anti body. Now waiting for my doc to call me as my records say I had an mmr in 1985 (aged 2) although I think I've had another in high school. I didn't realise it was so serious-scary! X

 

[ms_dove]

Oh no, that's not the type of stress you need right now. Your vaccination will keep you safe though. At least working in a school, even though they tend to be popular places for bugs and things to hang around, everyone is going to be very vigilant. I work in a huge office where a lot of people have young children and so people are always bringing in what their children have already picked up. Still, if it wasn't the office, then it'd be the bus or somewhere else!

xx

 

[Doob]

Yes stupid bugs everywhere and kids pass everything onto to each other (and us) in school but you're right the school is good at alerting us. The doc just called back I've got to go for some emergency bloods to check my measles antibodies tomorrow morning. Didn't really want to tell work anything yet for a good few weeks x

 

[cosmicgirl]

There is a massive outbreak of measles in Liverpool at the moment. They are at both schools my children attend and come into work regularly (I work in a hospital).
The children effected seem to mostly be around an age where that idiot (discredited) dr came out telling everyone not to give their kids the mmr.
Now I am seeing children who are visually impaired and suffering hearing loss after measles.
Measles is a hideous disease, it's awful but this was bound to happen.
I had to have bloods taken to ensure I was immune x

 

[Doob]

Yes you're right Wakefield's assertions have had disastrous consequences. We have several cases a year of measles, presumably because its a secondary and the kids whose parents followed his advice will now have children aged 12-14 in a community of 1300+ other students some of whom won't have had the jab either. Fx it doesn't spread to many more who haven't been immunised x

 

[cosmicgirl]

I hope not, that would be awful. It makes you wonder if this disease would have been eradicated if it wasn't for the Wakefield debacle.
Hopefully it will give mums who don't immunise a push to do so, showing how important it is x

 

[Doob]

I would have also thought that once it had been found to be flawed parents would have gone to get them immunised or can it only be done at a certain age? I listened to a radio programme a while ago that was saying a similar thing, how in the 1980's-90's there had been a dramatic decline and now its on the increase. x

 

[cosmicgirl]

No I believe you can have it done at any time as my colleague was found to be non immune and was given the mmr, shes 46 x

 

[Doob]

Well there you are, so sad really. Think next time a friend of mine is considering getting pregnant I'll encourage her to check with her gp if she's had the necessary mmr beforehand, I didn't have a clue x

 

[Hope81]

I didn't even know you can choose to not have it. In Greece all kids immunizations are obligatory unless there are certain health problems. Parents that they choose to not follow the national system of immunization they loose the free healthcare that kids get until age of 15.

 

[Little_angel]

It can definitely be done at any age.

Hope81 - in the UK the parents can refuse if they wish. HVs and possibly social services would get involved if it was due to neglect, ie just failure to turn up for any immunisations, but if parents make an informed decision to refuse MMR this would just be documented. Fortunately this is rare these days.