'Anti-Vaxxers Put My Life At Risk': Chemo Patient Tells James O'Brien

30 September 2019, 13:30

A caller told James O'Brien that people who consistently refuse to have their kids vaccinated should be sent to jail to protect vulnerable people such as himself.

A caller told James O'Brien that he's currently doing chemotherapy for a form of leukemia that damages his immune system.

He said: "The problem with vaccinations is we often talk about toddlers not wanting to catch measles or mumps or rubella. But I have to specifically avoid contact with young people at the moment because there's a potential risk of me becoming infected and I don't have an immune system to fight it while I'm doing chemo.

It's quite an important thing that everybody should get vaccinated, not for their own children, not for those risks, but for vulnerable people everywhere really."

The caller thinks compulsory vaccinations, which Matt Hancock is said to be looking seriously at, are "important".

James O'Brien asked: "How do you make it compulsory?"

The caller responded that when it comes to speeding, you get a fine or a day's driver training.

He said: "If what we're talking about some parents who have foolish ideas about what the dangers of vaccinations are, then why don't we offer the opportunity to avoid a fine but give them a chance to spend some time with scientists and doctors."

James put it to him that they might still say no.

The caller responded: "If you don't pay the fine, then you end up in jail."

He added: "It's not a choice i'm willing for them to make on my behalf."