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The U.K. has one of the lowest take up rate of the MMR vaccine in Europe

(122 Posts)
Whitewavemark2 Tue 15-Jul-25 10:57:53

I am actually listening to O’Brian and he is asking the question, and wondering if the drop in vaccine has got anything to do with the sort of things that we have seen on GN - where individuals are rejecting the covid vaccine because of conspiracy theories.

I read this week that a child died from measles.

We also read this week that Marten and Gordon found guilty of the manslaughter of their infant daughter were so taken up with conspiracy theories that even in court they were clearly so far down the rabbit hole that they appeared to believe nothing of fact or accepted norms.

How are people getting to this stage of muddle?

Dee1012 Tue 15-Jul-25 14:01:01

I really do think that there should be far stricter controls on what is allowed via social media channels because that's the place a lot of younger people seem to be getting their information from and having looked at some of it recently, it's horrifying!

An array of misinformation and falsehoods BUT some of those pushing these ideas are from or were from the medical community!

Whitewavemark2 Tue 15-Jul-25 14:10:09

Visgir1

All new born babies registered with a GP are automatically called in for their routine checks/injections via their mothers details. No excuse to claim they don't know. All young mothers have a phone, it pops up as a text or email plus on NHS app.
A friend who is a GP, comments those parents who don't have their children vaccinated therefore opening them up to serious illnesses, should be prosecuted for Child abuse.

Although they took it to the extreme, that is exactly what Gordon and Marten did, and paid the penalty both tragically in their daughters death and to the Crown.

They were a tragic couple.

Allira Tue 15-Jul-25 14:47:17

^They were a tragic couple.*
Not as tragic as all their children, especially the last poor baby. They have shown no remorse.

Allira Tue 15-Jul-25 14:49:49

I wonder if the takeup for the measles vaccination might be higher if they were offered as single, not triple vaccines?

One of my DC was quite ill after having the measles vaccine as she had a reaction and the thought of her having to have had a triple vaccine made me wonder.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Tue 15-Jul-25 14:52:58

And I bet all these mothers received the benefit of immunisation themselves.

Allira Tue 15-Jul-25 14:59:04

FriedGreenTomatoes2

And I bet all these mothers received the benefit of immunisation themselves.

Because their mothers ie us, remembered having measles and mumps themselves!

Obviously I never had rubella because someone came and jabbed a needle containing thee vaccine into my arm in hospital a couple of days after DC3 was born. A bit late in the day, I thought.

escaped Tue 15-Jul-25 15:02:17

Allira

I wonder if the takeup for the measles vaccination might be higher if they were offered as single, not triple vaccines?

One of my DC was quite ill after having the measles vaccine as she had a reaction and the thought of her having to have had a triple vaccine made me wonder.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but in France, I think the single measles vaccine is available.
It's not beyond the realms of possibility to order it and have your own UK GP administer it.

Jaxjacky Tue 15-Jul-25 15:07:24

Thank you WWM2
I’ve just read we are lowest in the G7, rates across the whole of Europe and Asia have been dropping or remaining static.
I agree with the French system, obligatory vaccination before attending nursery/school.

SusieB50 Tue 15-Jul-25 15:14:25

Sago

Unfortunately many migrants are arriving without any vaccination history.

Now more than ever we need to be vaccinating our children.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623524000072

I retired over ten years ago and my job was a public health nurse in a very poor area with a high influx of new arrivals from abroad. One of our responsibilities was to check the family immunisation status . If there was no evidence or record we just started again to ensure they were covered (it does no harm) I have to say as most of the families came from countries with high levels of infectious diseases the parents were very willing to have anything offered -also free!! Unlike some of the UK parents with their many antivax theories . I agree that it is so much more difficult nowadays as GP surgeries do most of the immunisations ,very few clinics available ,so problems getting through to the GP and getting appointments, no reminders sent out anymore , health visiting roles have changed concentrating on more vulnerable people, In addition so many families are constantly moving with little housing security and get lost in the system . If it was the case of having to have evidence of completed immunisation on starting school I think it would improve the uptake but then it’s no longer parental choice….

Chocolatelovinggran Tue 15-Jul-25 15:17:28

I understand that the former doctor who started the vaccines - contribute - to autism trope based on very flawed data is ambling around the USA earning a good living giving lectures on the subject.
He was struck off and is unable to practice in Britain, which, of course, plays into his conspiracy theory.
Sadly, he'll fit right in across the pond with RFK jr at the helm.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 15-Jul-25 15:19:43

escaped

Allira

I wonder if the takeup for the measles vaccination might be higher if they were offered as single, not triple vaccines?

One of my DC was quite ill after having the measles vaccine as she had a reaction and the thought of her having to have had a triple vaccine made me wonder.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but in France, I think the single measles vaccine is available.
It's not beyond the realms of possibility to order it and have your own UK GP administer it.

You can get single vaccines privately, but they are not recommended by the NHS

MayBee70 Tue 15-Jul-25 15:21:00

SusieB50

Sago

Unfortunately many migrants are arriving without any vaccination history.

Now more than ever we need to be vaccinating our children.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623524000072

I retired over ten years ago and my job was a public health nurse in a very poor area with a high influx of new arrivals from abroad. One of our responsibilities was to check the family immunisation status . If there was no evidence or record we just started again to ensure they were covered (it does no harm) I have to say as most of the families came from countries with high levels of infectious diseases the parents were very willing to have anything offered -also free!! Unlike some of the UK parents with their many antivax theories . I agree that it is so much more difficult nowadays as GP surgeries do most of the immunisations ,very few clinics available ,so problems getting through to the GP and getting appointments, no reminders sent out anymore , health visiting roles have changed concentrating on more vulnerable people, In addition so many families are constantly moving with little housing security and get lost in the system . If it was the case of having to have evidence of completed immunisation on starting school I think it would improve the uptake but then it’s no longer parental choice….

Having dealt with my own surgery recently I've realised how terrible their lines of communication now are [and the service they provide] compared to how it used to be pre pandemic. I used to work for them and we provided imo a much better personal service. My partner is on blood thinners for a blood clot and hasn't seen a doctor for years.

escaped Tue 15-Jul-25 15:29:11

Yes, GrannyGravy13. DD took her youngest somewhere near London Bridge (?) to get the single vaccine privately. It was quite expensive.

Allira Tue 15-Jul-25 15:41:54

escaped

Allira

I wonder if the takeup for the measles vaccination might be higher if they were offered as single, not triple vaccines?

One of my DC was quite ill after having the measles vaccine as she had a reaction and the thought of her having to have had a triple vaccine made me wonder.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but in France, I think the single measles vaccine is available.
It's not beyond the realms of possibility to order it and have your own UK GP administer it.

I'm sure it is available but you have to pay privately here.

Vaccinations are important but having a choice whether to choose triple or single vaccines for your children is important too, imo.

TerriBull Tue 15-Jul-25 15:51:25

Does anyone remember as a child having contracted measles, there wasn't a vaccine then, having to lie in a darkened room?

petra Tue 15-Jul-25 15:52:09

tragic couple
He’s a convicted rapist. He committed the rape when he was 14.He served 20 years in an American prison.
As for her 🤬

Allira Tue 15-Jul-25 15:56:47

petra

^tragic couple^
He’s a convicted rapist. He committed the rape when he was 14.He served 20 years in an American prison.
As for her 🤬

The tragedy is they got together and produced five uncared-for children.
I hope the other four are safe in loving homes now.

Devorgilla Tue 15-Jul-25 16:14:39

Yes, AmberGran, I do believe people of our age were, and are, the vaccine generation. In a lot of vaccine programmes we were probably the guinea pigs. My sisters and I certainly were with whooping cough one, then just coming onto the market in 1940s. We already had the disease, were sent to Scotland to recuperate and a Scottish doctor arrived to examine us, complete with new vaccine. We often laugh about how we got a double dose. We survived. As a child I remember seeing children with polio and many other conditions , most eradicated or treatable in my lifetime. You have to also factor in no NHS until 1948 and parents unable to afford doctors or hospitals. I tell my grandkids to be thankful they live in the 21st Century medically.
It never fails to amaze me how many young people are prepared to vape, take recreational drugs, cosmetic surgery and quick fix slimming aids but won't give their own children the protection of long established vaccines. I am a great believer in free vaccine programmes across the world.

Magenta8 Tue 15-Jul-25 16:15:47

Like many other GNs, I am old enough to have gone through the childhood illnesses as a rite of passage. The last thing I wanted was for my children to suffer so I was very glad to be able to have them vaccinated.

This generation of parents probably have no experience of measles or any other "common" childhood infections so they don't feel the same imperative to get their children vaccinated and they may even believe the illnesses to have been eradicated. Add to this the conspiracy theories and anti- vaxx ideology becomes more explicable though not more excusable

AGAA4 Tue 15-Jul-25 16:18:12

My first son caught measles before the vaccination was available. He was only 18 months old and was so ill. He lay limp in my arms for so many days. The doctor visited every day. Luckily the antibiotics stopped some of the life threatening problems associated with measles.
One of my cousins had heart problems and was partially sighted and deaf after measles.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 15-Jul-25 16:20:10

petra

^tragic couple^
He’s a convicted rapist. He committed the rape when he was 14.He served 20 years in an American prison.
As for her 🤬

I meant tragic in the sense that they believe all the conspiracy theories which then impinged one by one on their children.

Not in the way you appeared to interpret it.

Allira Tue 15-Jul-25 16:33:44

I did too, they brought tragedy to others rather than being tragic themselves.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 15-Jul-25 16:36:53

Allira

I did too, they brought tragedy to others rather than being tragic themselves.

Yes

MayBee70 Tue 15-Jul-25 16:58:31

Given that the world is facing so many problems it’s tragic that it is now facing an outbreak of a disease that is totally preventable sad. Does a lot of it stem from that Republican senator (?) who is anti vacc; the one who is in charge of Americas health?

fancythat Tue 15-Jul-25 17:01:44

How are people getting to this stage of muddle?

Easy.
Lack of trust in government.