Measles

[zenifa]

I will start by saying both of my girls are fully immunised (14mths and 3yo) - we did agonise over it, researched and talked to doctors etc, and in the end decided to do it and so far have no regrets.

Now we have a few friends who haven't immunised their kids, which is their right and choice.
However, one of the children (who has just turned 1) came over to our place a couple of weeks ago for a pre-xmas celebration. Present were 2 other babies 7 and 8 mths, plus a 5yo.
We have now found out she has measles (only the rash no cough, fever or runny nose symptoms) and our kids were exposed to her during the contagious stage.

Now my questions (which i will ask my GP when I see her but wanted some 'hubbers points of view)
1. What are the likelihood of contracting measles if you are immunised (I know its 90% if you aren't immunised)? Will the symptoms be less or the duration of the virus be shorter?
2. Can you still be a carrier, even if you show no symptoms, so should you still take precautions (isolating yourself, limiting your expose to un-vaxxed kids, including kids under 12mths) and if so for how long?

I have already cancelled a planned social outing today, so as not to risk my friend's 8 mth old.

I also have another question for non-vaxxers

If you don't vax and your child gets for example measles, does that change your mind and make you think about getting immunisations for your child? Obviously not for the disease they catch, as they will develop their own antibodies but for the others??

Just curious.

TBH when I found out that my friends baby had measles, I felt very bad for her, but I was glad that my girls had some level of protection, which made me feel better about my decision to vax.

[kkaz]

Now my questions (which i will ask my GP when I see her but wanted some 'hubbers points of view)
1. What are the likelihood of contracting measles if you are immunised (I know its 90% if you aren't immunised)? Will the symptoms be less or the duration of the virus be shorter?
2. Can you still be a carrier, even if you show no symptoms, so should you still take precautions (isolating yourself, limiting your expose to un-vaxxed kids, including kids under 12mths) and if so for how long?

.

1. If your kids have had one dose of MMR, then there is a 95% protection rate; if they have had 2 doses of MMR, then protection rates are 99%. 5 out of 100 and 1 out of 100 kids who are vaccinated, respectively, will not develop antibodies. Symptoms won't be less or of shorter duration - they will just either catch it (measles) or they won't.

2. You can't be a carrier, per se. Having said that, there is a pro-dromal period where you are contagious but do not show symptoms. And some people can have very mild symptoms (may not be noticeable) so will be able to pass the disease on wothout knowing they have it. This is not very common with measles, though. The pro-dromal period is for a few days before the rash develops (you are contagious then) and you are still contagious until about 4 days after the rash develops. So if you are not sure whether your kids might be "brewing" measles, as such, you should probably avoid other kids / pregnant women / immunocompromised people for 5 days or so. By then they should have symptoms or they won't (because they don't have it). If they are vaxxed, though, the chances of them getting it are pretty low (still, they could be the 1 in 100 that does not respond to vaccination).

Sorry, I can't answer the Q about non-vaxxing.

HTHs