i think it is really important that all parents get their children immunised against measles if they have not already done so. Measles is a really nasty disease and can kill. A death occurred earlier this year. If people sit on there hands then it is inevitable that we are going to see large outbreaks across London where immunisation levels are lower than elsewhere. It's easy to get the jab - just contact your GP.

so that parents can make informed decisions they should also be told about the 'vaccine damage' compensation scheme

in 2005 the bbc reported that a freedom of information request by the evening standard had revealed that since 1997 govt "has paid out £3.5m to patients left disabled by vaccinations"

they should also be told that the 'vaccine damage' compensation scheme pays compensation for only those very severely disabled or killed and won't pay compensation for 'vaccine damaged' children under two-years old

I don't feel the the parents of this generation now alot about the Measles itself other wise they would be using the vaccine.

Like the comments, made by Keith, this is a killer, I remember being very very ill with it.

All my children have now had vaccinations's for measles and wouldn't advise otherwise.

It is no good hanging back to see what other side affects will be wrote about in that time it could harm you child. That is why we are now going to see an increase with this.

"HEALTH experts fear there could be a measles epidemic"...there's no "could" about it. Lewisham hospital had onr recently (& handled it very effectively I should add). For those that are concerned about "vaccine damage" just think, there is more chance of severe injury or death every time your children get into a car, but people seem to accept this.

People who believe that vaccines prevent the disease should get the vaccine. People who do not believe that the vaccine's work should have the choice not to vaccinate. This is America. I still cannot understand how an unvaccinated person causes vaccinated people to contract the disease? Does a non smoker cause smokers to get lung cancer? Hello???

Mary wrote:
People who believe that vaccines prevent the disease should get the vaccine. People who do not believe that the vaccine's work should have the choice not to vaccinate. This is America. I still cannot understand how an unvaccinated person causes vaccinated people to contract the disease? Does a non smoker cause smokers to get lung cancer? Hello???

You have missed the point. Vaccinations are to protect the person being vaccinated. The fewer who have it the more risk that lots of people will get it!! Simple really. Yes people have the choice to say no and risk their child's life but the more people who say no the bigger the epidemic of a horrid disease will be

Keith wrote:
i think it is really important that all parents get their children immunised against measles if they have not already done so. Measles is a really nasty disease and can kill. A death occurred earlier this year. If people sit on there hands then it is inevitable that we are going to see large outbreaks across London where immunisation levels are lower than elsewhere. It's easy to get the jab - just contact your GP.

I agree, IO think parents should protect there kids against it i no mine will be.

It would be nice if instead of just giving us the mortality figures treating the population as homogeneous, there would be further details given profiling the victims based on their health status upon contracting the disease maybe even detailing the treatment methods if any used.

As is the case with the flu, its victims are usually the already frail.

Albert wrote:
It would be nice if instead of just giving us the mortality figures treating the population as homogeneous, there would be further details given profiling the victims based on their health status upon contracting the disease maybe even detailing the treatment methods if any used. As is the case with the flu, its victims are usually the already frail.

Not true!! They are normal children who have not been vaccinated. Measles is no respector of persons

Who ever commented on my comment only answered 1/2 the question. In our church we had 5 children who got chickenpox. All 5 children had been vaccinated. There were at least 10 children in the same church (very close families) who weren't vaccinated and never had chickenpox. They actually were hoping they would get it. How do you explain that one? The vaccinated got the disease and the unvaccinated didn't. So it's the unvaccinated children's fault?????

There is no comparison between chicken pox & measles!! Chicken pox isn't as life threatening as measles can be, we don't vaccinate against it in the UK. The reason why those who were unvaccinated wanted to catch it is bacause it is likely to then give them immunity.
As for your comment that people should choose. you may wish to put childrens lives at risk but I would rather they didn't have to make that decision while at an age where they don't really have adequate understanding to make that choice.

Hi Jack. I know children who had the measles me one of them. Measles is a childhood disease.When it occurs in well nurished, healthy children, it is not fatal. I am 48yrs. When I was growing up kid's got the measles all the time. There was a time every year when kid's just got it. They got over it. Had a natural immunity and moved on in life. Mumps, Measles, and chicken pox are childhood diseases. This nation is better equipped to handle these diseases than ever before. You will never eliminate the disease. We are a much cleaner country than back then. I do appreciate your concerns but really the only children who die from measles already have health problems. I have never heard of anyone or read in the newspaper anyone dying of measles.

Hello Mary. Sorry re-reading my post I did seem to come o a bit strong. Appologies.
Agre mortality rates in developed coutries are very low (not so in developing coutries I might add). But it isn't just a disease of children. Elderly & immunodeficient will also be susceptible, plus it can present problems during pregnancy if you are not immune.
There is such little risk from having vaccinations that I don't understand the objections. A vacciated society is obviously beter than an unvacciated one.
Cheers
Jack

Mary wrote:
People who believe that vaccines prevent the disease should get the vaccine. People who do not believe that the vaccine's work should have the choice not to vaccinate. This is America. I still cannot understand how an unvaccinated person causes vaccinated people to contract the disease? Does a non smoker cause smokers to get lung cancer? Hello???

Further to other responses, it's also important for as many children as possible to have the MMR vaccine because this then creates 'herd immunity' - meaning even those who aren't vaccinated are protected through a lessening or eradication of incidence of the disease. Your GP/doctor will be able to explain it better than me.

Mary wrote:
Who ever commented on my comment only answered 1/2 the question. In our church we had 5 children who got chickenpox. All 5 children had been vaccinated. There were at least 10 children in the same church (very close families) who weren't vaccinated and never had chickenpox. They actually were hoping they would get it. How do you explain that one? The vaccinated got the disease and the unvaccinated didn't. So it's the unvaccinated children's fault?????

In this country we do not routinely vaccinate against chicken pox
This is about measles a much worse condition

Mary wrote:
Hi Jack. I know children who had the measles me one of them. Measles is a childhood disease.When it occurs in well nurished, healthy children, it is not fatal. I am 48yrs. When I was growing up kid's got the measles all the time. There was a time every year when kid's just got it. They got over it. Had a natural immunity and moved on in life. Mumps, Measles, and chicken pox are childhood diseases. This nation is better equipped to handle these diseases than ever before. You will never eliminate the disease. We are a much cleaner country than back then. I do appreciate your concerns but really the only children who die from measles already have health problems. I have never heard of anyone or read in the newspaper anyone dying of measles.

Measles can kill any child it does not matter how "well" they are when they catch it. No one knows whether their child may have a problem with immunity till it is too late

I'm glad you said, "No one knows whether their child may have a problem with immunity till it is too late." You are for giving vaccines to all children. Well you obviously know that all children are different so how can we make one vaccine that will benefit all children???? Can we perscribe all medicines to all people? If that were the case we wouldn't need perscriptions. Think about it. I had one child who got febral siezures from the dpt shot. My doctor at the time confirmed it. So that is when we stopped giving any shots. How would we know if we had another child who was going to react that way. Since then, (18yrs. ago) we've had children come down with the diseases and get through it no problem. No siezures no fevers. That's why we don't vaccinate. You never know if you have a child who will react poorly. But a child who is healthy and taken care of will almost always get through the disease and establish a lifelong immunity without artificial drugs which could possibly cause cancer. Who knows???

Mary, please, the vaccine is not against the children it's against the virus, which isn't different from one child to the next. & as I've said before, the chances of problems are so very small. Do you also prevent your children from getting into a car for thr same reason, because there is a much greater risk in this.
As we don't know which children will develope immunity & which won't, and as the vaccine is so safe then it makes sense to vaccinate them all.

Mary-

I am concerned as to where you are getting your information. Previously healthy children get pneumonia at a rate of 20% when they contract measles. One in one thousand previously healthy children who contract measles will die of the disease. In addition there is a small but significant risk of sclerosing panencephalitis. This is a disease which occurs chronically after measles and causes severe, chronic, worsening brain damage. It also occurs in the previously healthy. Many people CANNOT get the measles vaccine (those who are immunosuppressed, such as HIV or chemotherapy patients) and they depend on the herd immunity to avoid getting a devastating disease. Measles is extremely contagious and has a long incubation period. How are these people to avoid exposure? The vaccine is about 85% effective, so yes, there is a small chance those who have been vaccinated will get the disease.

I am sorry your son had a febrile seizure. Did he suffer any long lasing effects? Febrile seizures can occur during every febrile illness,not just after vaccines, as I am sure you realize.

If your children had contracted measles, would you have paid the medical bills yourself or expected the state or private insurance to pick up the tab for a preventable disease? This seems unfair to your fellow taxpayers.