The Doctor Will See You Now [Non-Fiction]

Chapter 33: Paediatrics

A 17-year-old unvaccinated girl was admitted to the ward with measles.

From her attendance at paediatric A+E to her arrival on the ward, she has exposed at least fifteen other children who sat in the waiting room with her, sharing her space; the paediatric A+E doctor who saw her, who was 20 weeks pregnant at that point; and at least two nurses who admitted her when she arrived on the ward.

Also on our ward (in isolation rooms) were at least three children who were undergoing chemotherapy for leukaemias, who had no functional immune systems, at least ten children who were too young to receive their first dose of MMR vaccine, four nurses who were pregnant, and one nurse who had had a kidney transplant and was on immunosuppressants. Although the patient would not come into direct contact with those children, our staff would when caring for them, thus putting the vulnerable ones at risk.

Unless there is a genuine reason a child cannot be vaccinated (i.e. genuine allergic reaction or medical reason not to have live vaccines), vaccinate your goddamn kids and stop putting vulnerable children and adults at risk.