"I nearly lost my unvaccinated son to measles after I feared jabs on TikTok"

Sophie Dale was hesitant to get her son Levi his first MMR jab after seeing viral videos on social media - but she persevered and scheduled a jab, but he contracted measles days before the injection

A mum who nearly lost her unvaccinated son to measles is now "urging parents to get their children vaccinated" as immunisation rates fall. Sophie Dale, 28, was initially "nervous and doubtful" about vaccinating her son Levi due to misleading posts on TikTok and Facebook that falsely linked the measles vaccination to debunked autism risks.

Despite her fears, Sophie scheduled his first MMR jab, but the 11-month-old contracted measles just days before his injection appointment. He suffered multiple seizures and spent six days in hospital battling for his life after developing a severe case of sepsis.

Levi survived and is now a "perfectly healthy and thriving six-year-old little boy", as well as being an excellent older brother to one year old sister Winnie. Sophie now advocates for vaccinations, having witnessed the devastating effects of measles on her son, and has even created a few TikToks herself to help educate others.

Her fears did not delay Levi's vaccination date; he simply caught the disease coincidentally before his scheduled jab appointment. New data from NHS England for 2023/2024 reveal that not a single childhood vaccine met the threshold for herd immunity.

Reports have emerged indicating that only one in six children are fully vaccinated for MMR by age five, along with 13 other childhood vaccines - this aligns with previous insights from The World Health Organisation (WHO). Chesham-based stay-at-home mum, Sophie, advised: "Even if you're doubtful, go and speak to professionals.", reports the Express.

"Go to doctors and nurses and say 'I'm scared because I've seen this and could you give me more information'. I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I kept umming and ahing because of false information."

"I admit that I was a bit nervous when I was deciding to vaccinate Levi. He couldn't properly understand why his mum was allowing them to prod and poke him - even though they were saving his life I just wanted them to stop hurting him."

"Even after what happened to Levi, with my second child, I was still nervous to get her vaccinations done because of the scaremongering. I sent her with her dad because it was still nerve-wracking. But I knew I had to do it. I get the fear around vaccinations but this is what happened to my son."

In the run-up to his MMR jab, young Levi suffered from a high temperature and some remaining rash attributed to measles, although he'd largely got over the disease. In a distressing turn of events, the day before his milestone first birthday party in November 2018, Sophie received a panicked call while out purchasing ingredients for his birthday cake, informing her that Levi's condition had dramatically worsened.

Following a terrifying six-day ordeal at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, a young lad was finally able to go home, yet he will undergo a year of health checks to ascertain if his battle with sepsis has affected his hearing or eyesight.

Sophie, from Chesham, Bucks, confessed: "I didn't realise how serious it was at the time. But I was told the measles had basically destroyed his immune system, and he developed sepsis while fighting it. By the grace of God he is now a-ok but sometimes I look back at the hospital pictures and I can't believe it."

In tandem with Sophie, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) is issuing an urgent appeal to all parents to ensure their children get vaccinated, spurred on by concerning NHS figures.

According to data publicised on September 17, there's been a distressing downturn in the reception of 14 standard childhood inoculations, including the MMR jab. The immunisation rates have sunk below the level needed to halt the spread of infectious maladies.

Amid a striking surge in measles infections this year, culminating in 2,465 cases chiefly among unvaccinated youngsters and one heart-wrenching bereavement the situation has become increasingly dire.

Sophie relayed her consternation: "It's shocking that social media still has that impact of spreading misinformation - especially TikTok. I think people, like myself, are easily influenced and it's so easy to be scare mongered."

Sophie, who is expecting her third child this October, shared her anxieties but found reassurance in her community's health experiences. "I still find it nerve-wracking as I'm about to have another baby due this October. But looking at the people around me, all the children, nieces, nephews, neighbours who probably all have the vaccine. Has something ever happened to them? Probably not. So looking at my immediate circle and friends and family helped calmed my mind a lot."

She has confidently stated, "she will be getting all her vaccines".