A Clapham mum whose baby was hospitalised with measles amid a sharp rise in cases is begging parents to get their kids vaccinated.
Georgia House, 29, spent five days in London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with five-month-old Margot after she caught the highly contagious infection.
Margot, who had a had a cold, a cough, and a red blotchy rash, is too young to be vaccinated.
She caught the virus when she was at the same hospital being treated for a completely separate an allergic reaction in early April.
The infant had to be connected to oxygen and feeding tubes to help her fight the virus and at one point her oxygen levels were frighteningly low.
Georgia is desperate to encourage other parents to vaccinate their children - as the UK records a dramatic increase in the number of measles infections.
London has been hit – with 62 of the 195 cases since March based in the capital, compared to 11 cases in the whole of the UK in the same period last year.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned England is experiencing the highest number of infections in a decade - while MMR vaccination rates among children consistently falls.
Georgia, head of revenue at a tech company, said: “I was so nervous when we arrived at the hospital as she was really, really poorly.
“But we did feel like we were in safe hands.
“Our doctor told us that while it would be horrible for Margot, she would be okay.
“But it was still heartbreaking to see someone so small hooked up to all those machines.”
At just five months old, Margot is too young to be vaccinated – but the option is available for all those over the age of one.
“It’s so frustrating because this is all so preventable,” Georgia said.
“The reason we’ve got this spike is because of a drop in people getting vaccinated.
“The UK has lost its herd immunity.
“People who aren’t vaccinated are risking the lives of these little ones – and the lives of vulnerable, immunocompromised people.”
Georgia and her husband James first noticed their baby girl was unwell when she developed a cough and a cold, and later a rash.
But when they took Margot to two separate GPs, both dismissed it as either a typical cold or another allergic reaction to nuts - for which she'd been to hospital for on April 2.
However, the family received a letter saying Margot had been exposed to measles during that visit and so they rushed her back to Chelsea and Westminster, on April 17.
Georgia and James discovered Margot was the fourth paediatric case that day, they say.
“The sentiment at the hospital was definitely one of anger,” Georgia said.
“Doctors were telling me that people just don’t seem to understand how serious measles is.
“And people avoiding vaccinations has been devastating because we used to not have any cases in the UK.
“I don’t know if people are wary of vaccines after Covid but please, please get vaccinated.
“This is completely safe - it has been around since 1968. And it could save lives.”
Margot is home now but measles can be deadly or otherwise lead to very serious complications.
Early symptoms include a fever, sore, red and watery eyes, coughing and sneezing.
Small white spots may appear inside the mouth, and a blotchy red or brown rash usually appears after a few days.
The rash typically starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
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