Six-year-old Samuel Larkman-Jones died in 2019 after catching measles before he could be vaccinated.

A mother whose child died aged six from a brain inflammation caused by measles hopes sharing her story will encourage parents to “vaccinate more”.

It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned of measles outbreaks in parts of London.

Gemma Larkman-Jones wants more parents to consider having their children vaccinated sooner.

…

Prof Dame Jenny Harries, UKHSA chief executive, warned that measles is spreading among unvaccinated communities, and added that a “national call to action” is needed across the country.

Vaccination rates across the UK have been dropping, but there are particular concerns in parts of the capital as well as in some areas of the West Midlands.

  • madsen@lemmy.worldEnglish
    734·
    10 months ago

    Did you read the article? She’s not saying that she didn’t know that measles are dangerous, she’s saying that she thinks people would vaccinate more and sooner if they knew the potential delayed effects of measles. Her son died 4 years after catching it and he wasn’t vaccinated at 2 because he was on a delayed vaccination program (it doesn’t say why). It’s a super tragic story really and it doesn’t seem like she’s anti-vax or anything like it, quite the opposite.

    • pewter@lemmy.worldEnglish
      19·
      10 months ago

      I’ll blame his/her mistake on the article. Most of the time I don’t have to read the captions of pictures to obtain important information that would have also been in the normal text of the article.

      Samuel developed measles aged two in 2014 and recovered, but was admitted to hospital in 2019 after his mother noticed he often lost his balance while walking

      Why wasn’t that part in the article proper?

    • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
      144·
      10 months ago

      interesting, thank you!

      if the problem is these delayed vaccinations, why isnt that the meat of this problem? seems less about communication and more about a failed implementation plan (in general)

      • jws_shadotak@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        401·
        10 months ago

        The problem isn’t just delayed vaccinations.

        The kid could have had a health issue that prevented him from receiving the vaccine.

        The real issue is people who choose not to get it for any reason other than a health problem that prevents them from getting it. This kid could be alive if it hadn’t spread to him from unvaccinated people.

        Herd immunity saves lives.

      • kbotc@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        10 months ago

        Delayed vaccination was an anti vax talking point awhile back: Somehow parents were convinced by morons on the internet that you had to space vaccines out more. Basically once you start questioning the actual science, the more susceptible you are to just never actually finish the vaccine series, so antivaxxers win.

        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882604/

        Intentionally delayed vaccine doses are not uncommon. Children whose parents delay vaccinations may be at increased risk of not receiving all recommended vaccine doses by 19 months of age and are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Providers should consider strategies such as educational materials that address parents’ vaccine safety and efficacy concerns to encourage timely vaccination.