Should schools ban unvaccinated children? As the hugely infectious disease spreads across North London, many think public good should come before private freedom.
Measles outbreak sparks school exclusions
Sick note: While measles presents an extreme danger as one of the world's most infectious diseases, the vaccine offers a very safe and highly effective solution that has already saved an estimated 60 million lives. Glossary
Measles - A very contagious infection that causes rash and flu-style symptoms.
Virus - A very small piece of material that causes disease.
MMR - A combined vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella.
World Health Organisation - The United Nations agency responsible for global public health.
Pneumonia - Swelling of the tissues in the lungs. It can cause coughing and breathing difficulties.
Herd immunity - Usually used to describe the effectiveness of vaccination, the term refers to having enough people in a given community who have recovered from a viral infection and, therefore, cannot pass it on. This slows the spread of a disease and prevents a population from future epidemics.
Compulsory - Not optional.
Opines - Expresses an opinion or personal view.
Right - The "right" (or "right-wing") tends to align with conservative and traditional ideologies, often emphasising individual responsibility, limited government, and traditional social structures.
Deprivation - When people go without many of the things they need to live comfortably.
Misinformation - Incorrect or misleading information unintentionally presented as fact. It can be contrasted with disinformation or deliberate lies.
Crackdown - When someone in power, like the government or police, takes strong and sudden action to stop people from doing something they don’t like.