The British health authorities are concerned that the number of measles infections is increasing in central England. Between October 2023 and January 2024 there were 216 confirmed and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands region. 80 percent of measles cases occurred in Birmingham, the majority of them in children younger than ten years old. The virus is transmitted when coughing, sneezing or speaking.
“Colleagues in the West Midlands have worked diligently to bring the outbreak under control,” said Jenny Harries, head of the UK Health Security Agency. “But with vaccination rates so low in some communities, there is now a real risk of the virus spreading to other communities and cities.”
Vaccination rates have recently fallen to 85 percent nationwide, a ten-year low. In parts of London they are even significantly lower, says Harries. An even stronger wave of infections is feared there. The top health authority therefore warned on Monday that immediate measures must be taken across the country to ensure that all children are vaccinated against measles.
also read
More than 3.4 million children and young people under the age of 16 are not protected. Two simple vaccination doses are necessary for protection. Where do the reservations come from?
More than 20 years ago we carried out a rather inconspicuous research project at the University of Exeter. At that time we looked up the email addresses of British homeopaths and chiropractors and sent them an email in which a mother asked for advice about the MMR vaccination – measles, mumps and rubella – for her one-year-old child. The answers were frightening: only a few homeopaths and chiropractors recommended the MMR vaccination. Almost half of homeopaths and about a fifth of chiropractors even advised against it.
This project almost cost me my job. The homeopaths filed a complaint with my university against such supposedly “unethical” research. A lengthy and extremely unpleasant investigation into the situation followed, which then cleared me of all accusations. The incident showed me how emotionally many alternative care providers cling to their aversion to vaccination.
Measles outbreaks in 37 states
Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases of all. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and a reddish-brown rash. The virus can cause serious complications such as brain inflammation and, even after several years, a very rare but fatal long-term consequence – subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).
This often results in the infection of infants who have not yet been vaccinated – for example, if an unvaccinated person suffering from measles was in a practice at the same time or hours before. The risk of developing SSPE is highest in affected children under the age of two.
A few years ago, the world was celebrating the fact that measles was virtually extinct. But we had rejoiced too soon: measles is once again an issue worldwide. In 2022, nine million people contracted measles; 136,000 died from it, mostly children. There were measles outbreaks in 37 states last year.
Source: Infographic WELT
In 2001, Germany passed a mandatory reporting requirement for acute cases. The Measles Protection Act has been in place since March 2020. Since then the danger has been relatively low; Accordingly, parents of daycare and school children must prove that their children are vaccinated or immune. The incidence of measles in Germany has since been less than one case per million inhabitants.
However, many people are not very enthusiastic about this regulation. The health authorities in Saxony-Anhalt, for example, have investigated several hundred suspected cases of violations of the Measles Protection Act. There were 123 reports of violations in the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district. The health authorities in the Märkischer Kreis have had to deal with around 2,400 suspected cases since 2000.
Measles virus under a microscope
Source: dpa
Because of the high infectivity of the virus, at least 95 percent of all people must be vaccinated against measles in order to adequately protect the population. However, the immunization rate in many countries is significantly lower. The causes of widespread vaccination fatigue are certainly complex. There is much to suggest that alternative practitioners play a significant role here.
But why should those who are committed to so-called gentle medicine be against vaccination? There is no easy answer to this; There are probably numerous reasons. For example, the risks of vaccination are exaggerated or their effectiveness is questioned. It is also believed that vaccination is a plot to enrich the much-hated pharmaceutical industry.
Compulsory vaccination and fundamental rights
Finally, it is also important that alternative practitioners are taught in their training that their special therapy can also replace vaccination in a completely natural way. Many homeopaths offer homeopathic vaccinations, and chiropractors believe that their spinal manipulations are an ideal replacement for vaccinations.
Alternative practitioners in Germany are often particularly vocal opponents of vaccination. They even announced the following about the Measles Protection Act: “Compulsory vaccination restricts three fundamental rights: the right to physical integrity, the parental right to raise children and human dignity.”
Anousch Mueller reports in her book about her own experiences in her role as a alternative practitioner student that alternative practitioners often learn about their anti-vaccination stance at school: “The fear of vaccination was massively stirred up in the seminars… I will never forget how the lecturer in the seminar ‘Children in… Naturheilpraxis’ voice failed when she started talking about vaccinations. The topic outraged her so much that she was at a loss for breath and words. When she regained her composure, she began her triad. It is incomprehensible that such small, pure creatures would be deliberately contaminated with pathogens. That constitutes the offense of bodily harm…”
also read
In Great Britain we have no measles protection law and plenty of non-medical practitioners who promote anti-vaccination sentiment. We also had the now infamous Andrew Wakefield, who used his falsified data to convince many that the MMR vaccine caused autism. This is also why the number of infections is increasing alarmingly – and could spread.
My conclusion is clear: measles should not be taken lightly; it is an extremely contagious disease that can have very serious consequences, including death. The MMR vaccination provides highly effective protection and only very rarely has side effects. In my opinion, it is not vaccination, but rather discouraging vaccination that constitutes bodily harm.
The author
Edzard Ernst, born in 1948, is considered one of the most influential scientists in the field of alternative medicine. He was a professor of complementary medicine in the English city of Exeter until 2012. Most recently, his book “Beware of Alternative Practitioners” was published, which critically examines the history as well as the powers, methods and therapeutic approaches of alternative practitioners (180 pages, 22.99 euros).
Here you will find content from third parties
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is necessary, as the providers of the embedded content require this consent as third party providers [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the switch and privacy at the bottom of the page.