The Importance of Vaccinations

[Frances144]

This seems very valid news and perhaps somewhat ironic that they both appeared on my Shetlink News list today.

 

"A public health alert has been issued to hundreds of ferry passengers after it emerged a passenger was diagnosed with measles.

 

More than 240 passengers and crew members were at risk of catching the contagious disease.

 

The incident emerged when NHS Grampian contacted passengers travelling on the Northlink Ferries operated vessel – MV Hrossey – from Aberdeen to Shetland on the night of Monday October 7."

 

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/islands/1868486/public-health-warning-issued-after-shetland-ferry-passenger-diagnosed-with-measles/

 

To those that don't vaccinate - well, you have no idea just how much danger you put folk.....  If it had been free in the early 18th century, I bet the population of Foula would've reacted differently to save the lives of their loved ones. 

 

https://www.scotsman.com/heritage/the-tiny-scottish-island-wiped-out-by-disease-1-5029098

 

"Around 90 per cent of the population of Foula in the Shetland Isles was wiped out by smallpox epidemic in the early 18th Century........The disease returned to the island in 1760 and a period of inoculation was introduced but the high fee of two or three guineas, only ten or twelve people took it up." (the cost was prohibitive).

 

And the message that really breaks my heart was from children's author, Roald Dahl's letter - https://www.roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962 -

 

"The measles had turned into a terrible thing called measles encephalitis and there was nothing the doctors could do to save her. That was twenty-four years ago in 1962, but even now, if a child with measles happens to develop the same deadly reaction from measles as Olivia did, there would still be nothing the doctors could do to help her.

 

On the other hand, there is today something that parents can do to make sure that this sort of tragedy does not happen to a child of theirs. They can insist that their child is immunised against measles. I was unable to do that for Olivia in 1962 because in those days a reliable measles vaccine had not been discovered. Today a good and safe vaccine is available to every family and all you have to do is to ask your doctor to administer it.

 

It is not yet generally accepted that measles can be a dangerous illness. Believe me, it is. In my opinion parents who now refuse to have their children immunised are putting the lives of those children at risk. In America, where measles immunisation is compulsory, measles like smallpox, has been virtually wiped out."

 

The lies about the MMR vaccination still goes on while lives are put in unncessary danger.  In this day and age, it is unforgiveable.

 

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

The response was OTT.  I'm not against one organisation notifying passengers, but two?  (Northlink and NHS)

 

No, vaccines are not 100% safe, see NHS listed MMR vaccine side effects:  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-side-effects/

 

Small pox had a very high death rate and nearly always killed, that cannot be said for measles.  The majority of people catching measles, according to the NHS, get over it with no complications at all.  The complications would appear to set in from the non-treatment of a high temperature - yet a side effect of the MMR vaccine is that some will experience a high temperature.  

Edited October 18, 2019 by Suffererof1crankymofo

[Muckle Oxters]

I doot da side effects of da vaccine are insignificant compared to da risks o measles.

 

Also fae da NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/complications/

 

Common complications

More common complications of measles include:

• diarrhoea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration
• middle ear infection (otitis media), which can cause earache
• eye infection (conjunctivitis)
• inflammation of the voice box (laryngitis)
• infections of the airways and lungs (such as pneumonia, bronchitis and croup)
• fits caused by a fever (febrile seizures)

Uncommon complications

Less common complications of measles include:

• liver infection (hepatitis)
• misalignment of the eyes (squint) if the virus affects the nerves and muscles of the eye
• infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) or infection of the brain itself (encephalitis)

Rare complications

In rare cases, measles can lead to:

• serious eye disorders, such as an infection of the optic nerve, the nerve that transmits information from the eye to the brain (this is known as optic neuritis and can lead to vision loss)
• heart and nervous system problems
• a fatal brain complication known as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), which can occur several years after measles (this is very rare, occurring in only 1 in every 25,000 cases)

Measles in pregnancy

If you're not immune to measles and become infected while you're pregnant, there's a risk of:

• miscarriage or stillbirth
• your baby being born prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy)
• your baby having a low birth weight

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

And also from the NHS website:-

 

"Most people will recover from measles after around 7 to 10 days, but sometimes it can lead to serious complications."

[Colin]

FWIW, when I was a child, I nearly died from a dose of german measles but, I DO NOT support universal vaccination.

 

If a disease takes you out of the gene pool then, so be it.  Callous (and sad) attitude I know but, this isn't about the individual, it's about the species and survival of the "best equipped" is better for everyone.

[Muckle Oxters]

Dis is an interestin article i saw on da news feed here aboot da population o Foula being nearly wiped oot by smallpox https://www.scotsman.com/heritage/the-tiny-scottish-island-wiped-out-by-disease-1-5029098

Dis isna in response tae Colin's 'survival of da fittest' post above, by da wye!

Edited October 19, 2019 by Muckle Oxters

[Frances144]

I saw that too (put link in original post, I think).

 

Charles Darwin, when he wrote "survival of the fittest" did not mean it the way you are thinking, ie fittest is healthiest.

"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. The biological concept of fitness is defined as reproductive success.

 

Though I guess if you die from a perfectly easy disease to eradicate by vaccination, then that is one way of looking at it.

 

Even if you swim through all these diseases without a mere skin blemish, it is those more vulnerable around you that are being put at risk.  Why would anyone do that is beyond me.

[Colin]

and why anyone would inject 3 live(?) virii (MMR) into a young child (or anyone else for that matter) is beyond me. 

[Colin]

FWIW, I did not use the old Darwinian cliche, "survival of the fittest".  I said "best equipped".  Just saying. 

 

I also read the article on Samllpox in Foula.  Distressing for all but, it is worth noting that, unlike Smallpox, Measles rarely kills so many and survival rates are high.

[Nigel Bridgman-Elliot]

Does that mean everyone will be getting their flu jab this winter ?

 

Once the month delay in deciding what will be in it is over..

[Urabug]

Will the flu jab help this one ? Looks like it is "man made" gone wrong.

 

https://patents.justia.com/inventor/erica-bickerton