Measles vaccination

I wonder how many parents still think that wretched report was accurate?

I will be in Nuweiba, Egypt, in June, but the FO does not recommend any vaccinations. The hotel is very small, only 24 suites and I will not be leaving it. (I just go for the coral).

Orca don't "put words into my mouth" I did not say "question the safety" I said "undermines the credibility".
I think it is a matter of fact not opinion that MMR is not a cause of autism, such is the weight of scientific evidence. As you well know there comes a point in science where things become knowledge, not opinion. (Such as the case with evolution - people still question it - but I don't have to preface any comment about evolution with IMHO)
Therefore any journalist or person of medical qualification who spreads rumours that undermine the credibility of MMR, given the risks of non vaccination, is being irresponsible. To the best of my knowledge there are no other reputable hypotheses about dangers of MMR. And no evidence that single shots any safer.
Of course vaccines bear a small risk - everything in life does - but not as much risk as getting measles or giving whooping cough to a newborn sibling.

No, I'm ok apparently it's places like Egypt Pakistan Nigeria and Afghanistan at the moment.
I don't think I'm cruising to any of them in the near future?

Actually I think that needs topping up every now and then if you're going to areas where polio is endemic. Eg round med.
must check up on mine!

Yes polio!

I am in favour of vaccination but against it being compulsory. Surely the best way would be to present parents with the FACTS and let them decide for themselves.

I can remember my parents putting me forward for every jab that was going so presume I have had the measles one - also remember having a vaccine drop on a sugar cube - polio?

Orca, the whole argument was unfounded and led to the disastrous drop in take up, which has led to the current epidemic.

Do not say that anyone questioning the safety of the MMR is being irresponsible. You are not entitled to make that statement without qualifying it by saying 'in my opinion...' You have to take into consideration the genuine fears of parents and you cannot ride roughshod over these fears. If you want more children to be vaccinated, and that is surely the aim, then you need to offer parents choices and yes, encouragement.
The 'scare' as you call it mishap may have been unfounded , if you are referring to the autism and bowel cancer side effects, only time will tell, but there are other genuine fears around the MMR vaccine which have yet to be addressed. Any responsible health officer will admit there is always a risk with any vaccination. There have been in the past with the mumps element of the MMR which is why it was withdrawn in Canada when I was working there.

Thanks, Mishap, they sound like eminently sensible suggestions.

There are ways of encouraging parents to have their children vaccinated. For instance...

- having special health visitors whose sole job is to go to the homes of children who have not been immunised and offer to do it there. There is evidence that this vastly increases uptake, and that some parents don't do it because they have just not got around to it, rather than having any strong feelings about it.

- making it a requirement that evidence of immunisation is brought to nurseries, pre-schools and schools at the time of registration. Those who had not had their children immunised would be given clear written leaflets explaining the facts; and the information that they had fallen through the net would be fed back to the special health visitor.

- immunisation sessions in schools and nurseries, following contact with parents of course.

We just need to make it as easy as possible to do the right thing; and the literature about it needs to directly address parents' concerns and explain that the "scare" was unfounded.

Just to return belatedly to the debate...
Some countries require a vaccination certificate before a child can be admitted to state funded education. I approve. The seat belt argument is a good one and it can be extended. We all remember the heated libertarian debate about wearing adult seat belts but one of the prices we pay for living in an affluent organised society is that there will be laws that will infringe our liberties to some degree e.g.
Driving on the left
Not driving while intoxicated
Not leaving grandad's corpse to rot on the patio
Educating our children in some manner approved by the state (you can home educate but you will be inspected to see you are making an adequate job of it)
For a few, very infectious diseases - measles and whooping cough for instance, it is not at all unreasonable for the state to require vaccination of children. It protects the child (even if the parents believe differently and don't have the sense to do so voluntarily) and it protects vulnerable individuals in the community such as: newborns (very vulnerable to whooping cough), children having chemotherapy, children born with immune deficiencies. There are many genes that give us our complex immune systems and not everyone has the full deck of cards. This may be why some kids (like yours Orcas) do not form a strong immunity to certain vaccines. But if there is very good herd immunity they will be protected.
Anyone still trying to undermine the credibility of the MMR is being highly irresponsible. Nothing at all to suggest single shots safer. When a baby is born it faces thousands of different microbes in its first moments and its immune system has evolved to cope. A three shot vaccine is nothing in comparison.

Don't know why he was baring his shoulder - I just watched that bit.

I didn't watch all of that video! What was he doing? And why?!

Eeuurghh!

jing that video is a smallpox scar. The BCG is smaller and circular.

Nonu!

JO , Ana < Thanks , am off to watch

Ice road truckers , with my Life long companion.

I am not off the radar, despite what they say .

A little humour goes along way , sweetens life

Why would I have been talking about you?

That video you linked to is certainly a smallpox vaccination scar. The ones we had as babies grew with us!

I really don't think you are in a position to judge my motives, jingle. I am quite a complex person!

Somehow, you get a feeling for people's motives Greatnan. That's all.

Since when has expressing concern been bullying or mocking?

It looks as if Absent and Tegan mightn't have got it too.

I get it now, thanks.

Since it was followed by a thank you for being allowed to eat something. The meaning simply wasn't clear to me.

Nothing at all. I just didn't 'get it'.