A mother whose baby had trouble breathing after catching measles is begging parents to vaccinate their children.
Georgia House, 29, spent five days at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with five-month-old Margot after she contracted the highly contagious infection, which is currently on the rise.
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Margot, who had a cold, cough and red patches on her skin, is too young to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
She caught the virus when she was in the same hospital being treated for a completely different allergic reaction in early April.
The child had to be hooked up to oxygen and feeding tubes to help him fight off the virus, and at one point his oxygen levels were alarmingly low.
Georgia is desperate to encourage other parents to vaccinate their children as the UK sees a dramatic rise in measles infections.
England faces a measles emergency, with 86 cases confirmed last week, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
This brings the total number of measles cases recorded so far this year to almost 900 – a sharp increase from the 368 cases in all of 2023.
About two-thirds of those affected are under the age of 10.
Health professionals say the current outbreak, which began in the West Midlands last year, has now spread to all regions of the country.
London has become the latest hotspot, and five-month-old Margot House is among those to have recently contracted the highly contagious disease.
Georgia, head of revenue at a technology company in Clapham, south-west London, said: “Our doctor told us that although it was horrible for Margot, she would be fine.
“But it was heartbreaking to see someone so small hooked up to all those machines.”
Doctors told me that people just don’t seem to understand how serious measles is.
Georgia House
At just five months old, Margot is too young to be vaccinated, but the option is available to all children over one year old.
“It’s very frustrating because this is all preventable,” Georgia said.
“The reason we had this increase is the drop in the number of people vaccinated.
“The UK has lost its herd immunity.
“People who are not vaccinated are risking the lives of these little ones – and the lives of vulnerable and immunocompromised people.”
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Georgia and her husband, James, first noticed their daughter was unwell when she developed a cough, cold and rash.
But when they took Margot to two different general practitioners, they both dismissed the case as a typical cold or another allergic reaction to nuts – which is why she had been hospitalized on April 2.
However, the family received a letter saying that Margot had been exposed to measles during that visit, so they took her back to Chelsea and Westminster on April 17th.
Georgia and James discovered that Margot was the fourth pediatric case that day, they say.
“The feeling in the hospital was definitely angry,” Georgia said.
“Doctors told me that people just don’t seem to understand how serious measles is.
“And people avoiding vaccination has been devastating because we had no cases in the UK.
“I don’t know if people are wary of vaccines after Covid, but please get vaccinated.
“This is completely safe and can save lives.”
Measles vaccination in the UK was introduced in 1968 and, until recently, widespread uptake had virtually eradicated the disease.
In recent weeks, hundreds of children have contracted the disease and health officials have warned that “many thousands of children across the country are not yet fully vaccinated and may be at risk of serious illness or lifelong complications.”
Dr Vanessa Saliba, UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, said: “The number of measles cases is rising across the country, with a particular rise seen in London in recent weeks.
“Parents should check their children’s Red Book now to ensure their children are up to date with MMR and other routine vaccinations. If you are unsure, contact your GP to check.”
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Margot is home now, but measles can be deadly or cause lifelong disabilities.
It can affect the lungs and brain and cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.
Measles symptoms include fever, cough and cold.
Small white spots may appear inside the mouth, and a red or brown blotchy rash usually appears after a few days.
The rash usually starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The MMR vaccine is free for everyone on the NHS and is available from doctors’ surgeries.
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How can I care for a child with measles?
Although most people who suffer from measles recover, it can be very unpleasant to endure, especially for young people.
However, it can usually be treated at home and goes away within a week to 10 days.
The NHS says it can help your child:
- Rest and drink plenty of fluids
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease a high temperature – but don’t give aspirin to children under 16
- Carefully remove crusts from your eyes with cotton wool soaked in warm water
Children should stay out of daycare or school for at least four days after the rash appears.
How can I prevent my child from getting measles?
The best way to protect your child from measles, for which there is no treatment or cure, is to vaccinate them.
This means two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
It is typically given to babies and young children through the NHS vaccination schedule.
The first dose can be administered when the child is one year old and the second when he is three years and four months old.
If your child missed these injections, you can still ask your GP to give them.
Official figures show vaccine uptake is at its lowest point in more than a decade.
A staggering 3.4 million under-16s in Britain are at risk of contracting the virus as they have only had one or no MMR injection.
Expert answers questions about MMR
TO help address parents’ concerns, Professor Helen Bedford, an expert in children’s public health at University College London, tells you everything you need to know about the MMR vaccine.
When is the vaccine given?
The MMR vaccine is part of the NHS Routine Childhood Immunization Programme.
It is usually administered as a single injection into the thigh muscle or upper arm.
The first dose is offered to children at one year of age (babies under one year of age may have some protection against maternally transmitted antibodies, which begin to disappear around 12 months).
The second dose is then offered to children aged three years and four months before they start school.
To check whether you or your child has received the two recommended doses of MMR, you can consult your Personal Child Health Record, also known as the red book.
If you can’t find the red book, call your family doctor and ask for your vaccination records.
You are never too old to get the MMR vaccine.
If you see from your vaccination records that you did not receive two doses as a child, you can make a vaccination appointment.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective in preventing measles, mumps and rubella.
In the UK, we started using the vaccine in 1988, so we have decades of experience using it.
The injection is made from very weakened live versions of the three viruses.
This causes the immune system to produce antibodies that protect against future exposure.
It takes up to three weeks after vaccination to be fully protected.
Like any vaccine, the MMR vaccine can cause side effects, which are usually mild and go away very quickly.
This includes a rash, high temperature, loss of appetite and a general feeling of being unwell for about two or three days.
There is also a very small chance that children could have a serious allergic reaction.
But compared to the complications of measles, there is no doubt that vaccination is by far the safest and most effective way forward.
Why was it linked to autism?
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a now-discredited paper in the medical journal The Lancet.
The article suggested that the MMR vaccine may be associated with autism and a form of intestinal disease.
This has led to a sharp decline in vaccination rates.
Even at the time, the research was considered poor.
The Lancet retracted the story in 2010 after Wakefield’s paper was deemed “dishonest” by the General Medical Council.
He was later removed and later in 2011, the British Medical Journal declared the story fraudulent.
Does it contain pig ingredients?
There are two types of MMR vaccines: one with gelatin (animal/pig collagen) and one without gelatin.
For some religious groups, the inclusion of pork products is not acceptable.
These people should ask for the vaccine without gelatin.
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