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.

  • magnetosphere@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    10 months ago

    “Samuel didn’t need to die and that’s the guilt I carry every day with me,” she said.

    It was the anti-vaxxers fault, not hers. I hope one day she’s able to accept that.

  • Wanderer@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    Sometimes I think about how years ago parents would lie over their children’s beds crying. Praying for a miracle because that is all that can save their child now is the work of God. They have see this before, heard the stories. Seen the other children die just recently. They know the pain, they know what is coming. They have done all they can. They sent for the doctor who said he won’t be coming back as he has other patients to attend to, ones that might live. Yes they do what they can but it is all for nothing. They bury their child and go back home.

    They sit there unable to cry anymore, the silence is broken from a cough in the younger child’s room. They then pray to God that this is just a cold. God doesn’t listen, God doesn’t bring miracles. But man does. One day the work of God comes in the hands of the many and changes the suffering forever.

    Sometimes I wonder what those people would say to us. I bet they would hate us for not taking something they would give their lives for.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    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.

    Her son, Samuel, developed a rare form of brain inflammation after catching measles, and died in 2019.

    “I honestly think that if people knew that this was a possibility they would vaccinate more,” Ms Larkman-Jones, 45, of Brixton, south London, told the PA Media news agency.

    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.

    In February 2019 Samuel was transferred to St Thomas’ Hospital where a lumbar puncture and an MRI test found he had the neurological disorder subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).


    The original article contains 393 words, the summary contains 143 words. Saved 64%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • creamed_eels@toast.ooo
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    10 months ago

    …she said he had been put on a delayed vaccination programme.

    I’m not familiar with this. Can any English readers enlighten me? Why was it delayed?