Parents, Beware The Devastating Consequences Of Measles | Letters

After reference nan letters astir vaccine misinformation and hesitancy (Measles surge shows why vaccinations are crucial, 20 July), I felt I must constitute to show you of 1 unrecognised origin of nan driblet successful vaccine uptake: erstwhile I worked arsenic a organization schoolhouse nursing sister successful nan 1980s, pinch 11 authorities schools and a number of backstage schools that took up nan vaccine service, we had 98% uptake of vaccines successful nan schoolhouse setting. This was owed to nan strategy of sending letters location to parents requesting their consent and pursuing up by phone, if necessary, by nan schoolhouse agency staff. The children came successful people batches.

Then nan section wellness authority decided that this work should beryllium discontinued and parents were invited to return their kid to nan section GP room for their vaccinations. The uptake plummeted to little than 40% of eligible children owed to children not taking nan letters home, aliases parents forgetting aliases losing nan missive – aliases being incapable to return clip disconnected to return their kid to nan surgery. When I asked nan GPs astatine nan section wellness centre what nan uptake for nan cohort of eligible children was, they looked astatine their records and were surprised, but reluctant to do thing astir it.

Health visitors were responsible for, and very successful in, advising caller mothers erstwhile vaccines were due, wherever to get them and encouraging uptake. It should beryllium compulsory for each vaccines for preschool children (which includes measles) to beryllium done earlier a kid is admitted to school, as successful galore different countries.

As a midwife, I saw a babe calved to a mother who had interaction pinch rubella successful early pregnancy. The small woman was calved pinch a assemblage rash, had bilateral cataracts and was wholly deaf. She was was very ill. Schools for deaf children whitethorn return again for these children if vaccination is not taken up for immoderate reason. How sad.
Joan Stephens
Liphook, Hampshire

I contracted bales conscionable earlier nan NHS was established. With it came superior receptor infections, burst eardrums, etc. There were nary vaccines, conscionable receptor drops. Over nan years nan infections and operations continued and now, aged 82, I person nary proceeding pinch complications. I request group to deliberation earnestly astir vaccination. The consequences of bales tin sometimes beryllium devastating.
Jean Jackson
Seer Green, Buckinghamshire