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Article Mum Begs For Herd Immunity Understanding After Daughter Suffers Second Case of Measles

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Mum appeals for better understanding of herd immunity vaccination after measles strikes her daughter a second time.

Maddee Fryters, 7, was rushed to emergency last week with measles, the second time the young girl has contracted the deadly infection.

“She’s 100 per cent susceptible to it and all the complications that come with it,” her mother Blair Fryters told Perth Now.

Maddee has an auto immune disease and cannot be vaccinated. It also makes her vulnerable to many deadly diseases that are easily avoided for most children by getting immunised.

“I don’t think people realise their choice not to vaccinate their kids affects children like mine, and makes her suffer,” Ms Fryters said.

“If 95 per cent of the children are immunised, we know that gives us a level of protection for everyone in the community,” Dr Asha Bowen, of Telethon Kids Institute, said.

“Measles were declared eliminated in Australia in 2014, so it’s all cases that come in from overseas but that puts children at risk who can’t be immunised,” Dr Bowen said.

The importance of herd immunity

Maddee’s siblings are all vaccinated, herd immunity helps to protect children like Maddee.

As well as getting vaccinated, Ms Fryters says it’s also important for children and adults to get booster shots.

“You never know who you’re walking past in the shops, or who your child is playing with at school, it’s so important,” Ms Fryters said.

Measles are highly contagious. Symptoms include fatigue, sore muscles, runny nose and sometimes a rash.

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  • I agree. Seriously think of the kids

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  • I totally agree with herd immunisation too

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  • It makes me so angry when people that who have perfectly healthy kids that are able to have vaccines don’t get them vaccinated, when there are poor children out there that can’t be!!!

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  • people that don’t vaccinate (not those with no choice medically) drive me insane!

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  • Oh poor thing. I hope she’s ok!! There needs to be more social media campaigns about the dangers of not vaccinating!

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  • Vaccination should be a given not an opt out – and for the older population THEY MIGHT JUST NEED TO BE RE-VACCINATRED as it doesn’t last forever.

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  • People who don’t vaccinate (and can) are stupid and selfish.

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  • Every child should be immunised. Parents should not get a option.

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  • I live in an area know for it’s low vaccination rate and find it alarming that the trend is spreading, surely people understand how bad it can be? I had an aunt who walked with an aid who had lost her 3 siblings to polio, we don’t want things like that to flare again. Surely. :,(

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  • A lot of vaccinations were around for previous generations. I remember one adult relative who got Chicken Pox – covered from head to foot which she caught from a visiting child. The problem is some of the diseases are actually infectious before they are visible,

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  • Every child who can be, should be immunised!

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  • Hope she recovers soon. Scary for any parent to see their child in this way

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  • Poor girl. So important to vaccinate the kids.
    But I don’t think much is done for adults. My GP has never talked about booster shots with me. Maybe it should become routine during a consultation?

    • This is what I often worry about. They recommended a whooping cough booster for me when my Dil was pregnant, as well as a flu one. But what about all the others, I haven’t had any since primary school. That’s a long time

      • You are absolutely right. Because of course we would get a booster if someone close to our family is pregnant or has a young baby. But what about all the other people? The risk is there. Unless it becomes a routine for adults too. It’s expensive but I think this problem should be handled as soon as possible.

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