Just a note about your measles link to The Times. To read it you need to set up a free trial, which will lead to turning down or taking up a subscription I think.
Very few interviews about measles mention the long-term sequel of SSPE (sub-acute sclerosing panencephalitis) which occurs years after measles infection. When I was working on children's wards pre widespread vaccination there was usually at least one child slowly declining with this and dying, as it is incurable. This disease almost vanished in highly vaccinated populations and I would hate to see it return, not to mention the much greater number of children who do become very ill with the primary measles infection.
It's also the missing of the rubella and mumps parts of the vaccine that worry me. My generation had friends who were partially blind and also deaf as a result of mothers catching rubella in pregnancy, and of older relatives profoundly deaf after mumps in childhood. Although measles is potentially the most infectious of the 3 viruses, the others come with their own complications.
Just a note about your measles link to The Times. To read it you need to set up a free trial, which will lead to turning down or taking up a subscription I think.
This link is "the horse's mouth" and takes in the situation in Birmingham https://www.gov.uk/government/news/measles-outbreak-could-spread-warns-ukhsa-chief-executive
Very few interviews about measles mention the long-term sequel of SSPE (sub-acute sclerosing panencephalitis) which occurs years after measles infection. When I was working on children's wards pre widespread vaccination there was usually at least one child slowly declining with this and dying, as it is incurable. This disease almost vanished in highly vaccinated populations and I would hate to see it return, not to mention the much greater number of children who do become very ill with the primary measles infection.
Sounds awful Margaret, hopefully the NHS can get the outbreak under control so children don't develop SSPE.
It's also the missing of the rubella and mumps parts of the vaccine that worry me. My generation had friends who were partially blind and also deaf as a result of mothers catching rubella in pregnancy, and of older relatives profoundly deaf after mumps in childhood. Although measles is potentially the most infectious of the 3 viruses, the others come with their own complications.
Congratulations Dan! I'm so pleased the way this community keeps growing. You all deserve it 😃