With all the correspondence re vaccination and possible mass and compulsory vaccination I thought it was time to air my views.

When I was about 5 or 6 years of age in the late 1950’s, my mother took me to a local community hall to have a foreign substance injected into my bloodstream. She did this not because she was cruel – on the contrary, she was very loving and wanted to protect me. As a result, I did not contract polio which prior to the introduction of the polio vaccine would regularly visit communities inflicting death and disability on the young. We have managed to eradicate polio in this country due to vaccination but it still occurs in other parts of the world.

When I was about 11 or 12 years of age, I stood in a line of boys at school waiting to have another foreign substance injected into my bloodstream with my parents full permission. As a result of this injection, I did not contract TB or tuberculosis which prior to the TB vaccine would visit families and carry off people in a horrendous manner. My family lost a boy aged 16 years to TB in 1939 since there was no vaccine available at that time.

Last autumn, following receipt of a letter from my GP’s surgery, I willingly allowed a foreign substance – the flu vaccination – to be injected into me.

Between the TB and flu jab, I have also have had the tetanus vaccination at least twice in order to protect me against tetanus. I have probably had other vaccinations but these were given to me when I was so young, I cannot remember them.

To those who object to being vaccinated and think it may become compulsory, I cannot believe there are any health professionals who would administer an injection without the permission of the patient. Therefore, it is entirely your decision to accept or refuse a vaccination.

However, I would ask you to be responsible. Should you fall ill with a disease or illness which could have been prevented had you been vaccinated, do think twice before calling on the beleaguered resources of the NHS to treat you.

Huw Niland,

Stroud.