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Mum asks how to protect three-year-old from measles: internet delivers the best responses.

 

Vaccinations against preventable diseases are an issue which polarise many parents and some medical professionals the world over – and have done since their invention. Whilst many believe in ‘herd immunity’ so that children who can’t get vaccinated are protected by those around them, due to certain allergies or age, for example, not all kids can get vaccinated.

And then of course there are the kids whose parents don’t believe in giving their kids vaccinations; known as “anti-vaxxers”.

Now, we’re not sure if the child in this vaccination story falls into either of these categories…but her mother certainly raised an interesting question when she posted in the Facebook group Natural Health Anti-Vaxx Community, asking:

“My three-year-old is not vaccinated and there is currently a measles outbreak in my state. Any suggestions for precautions I can take to protected her would be very much appreciated.”

It was a question which many people believed there was a simple answer to  – in the absence of any reason given as to why the readily available measles vaccination wasn’t an option.

For this reason, the question was picked up by the Richard Dawkins Foundation, a group about “promoting scientific literacy and a secular worldview” – and of course, they tweeted it, with their own question: “Can anyone guess how this person could protect their child from the measles?”

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Naturally, Twitter had some excellent advice for the mum:

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It’s important to note that America is currently in the midst of a widespread measles outbreak in New York, Washington and California, which is why this father tweeted a “sincere f**k you” to parents who can vaccinate their kids but choose not to:

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What do you think of this mum’s question? Tell us in the comments below.

If you’d like to hear more from Nama Winston, see her stories here, and subscribe to her weekly Mamamia Parents newsletter here.