Re Mealses Vaccination campaign UK

[Dr Michael J Carter]

Regarding the recent vaccination campaign in the UK, there 
is also one point that I have not understood. It is 
probaby obvious to most. in th past, MV vaccination in the UK
was less efficient than it has been of late with the MMR.

There was therefore a pool of kids that didn't get vaccinated 
and have therefore been getting older ever since, with the risk of
natural infection. Coming up behind these kids are subsequent 
generations who have been better covered.

The pool of ageing susceptibles has therefore been steadily decreasing
as some of them actually become infected, but it has not been
increasing. Why then are we now at a risk of an epidemic?

Was the immunity elicited by these early vaccines inadequate,
has it now decayed to a useless level, or is it unusual (fusion 
protein??)??

I have had a lot of enquiries from members of the public, and I think
that the reasons for this campaign have never really been explained to them.
Certainly stating that there is a risk of an epidemic doesn't help unless
we tell them WHY? and WHY now?
If we tell them that previous vaccination was possibly inadequate
(if indeed it was... I don't know) then I'm sure that most woul
readily accept the case for a repeat.

Cheers

Mike Carter, 
                            iHAT