As I hinted in previous posts I was exposed to a case of Measles, it all seemed to be a normal job, a young child with a high temperature, but the hospital confirmed Measles a few days later. The hospital contacted the Health Protection Agency who then contacted the LAS, then my DSO contacted me.

My mum writes down everything that happens to me, so when I asked her if I'd been immunised and she found no details of it I have to assume that I wasn't. This is backed up by the note she made that I had Measles on December 24th 1977 (I told you, she notes down everything). However, according to the Occupational Health nurse I went to see, childhood exposure to Measles doesn't grant an immunity.

Unfortunately, as I'm still suffering from the lurgy/man-flu I couldn't have the MMR vaccine due to it being a live vaccine. Anyway, the MMR would be the second dose of Rubella vaccine I'd get as I was given that particular jab when I started my nursing career (which caused my GP no end of confusion as he had no idea why a man would need the vaccine - I told him that I would be treating pregnant women, but I still had to fight for the jab).

Of course, Measles is in the news at the moment as there is a rise in Measles cases, particularly in London where I work. And, yes, I blame the idiot media who would rather print an 'interesting' story than actually employ a journalist who has some basic scientific/statistical knowledge. Even the Observer got in on the act last year. As an aside I cannot recommend Ben Goldacre's website enough as an antidote to the utter wibble that is being passed around as 'fact'.

So, as I apparently have become potentially infectious from midnight last night, I have been stood down from work for the next two days pending the result of a Measles IGG blood test. It might give me time to get over the lurgy that I'm still coughing up as well as some time to answer the emails that have been building up in my inbox.

It has been said that us ambulance staff don't have enough patient contact to contract Measles - although they haven't tried explaining it to the two staff who caught it from a patient a year or two ago...

Still, as I'm 'stood down' rather than 'sick' I won't be expecting any disciplinary action for my sickness. Kudos to my local management team for being generally supportive and for following the HPA's advice.

I shall now spend the next two days looking for spots showing up against my hairy, white belly and being a general hypochondriac.

I'd also like to mention in dispatches my stationmates and their patient who were hit by a car while they were loading the patient on the back of the ambulance. It was a hit and run and while the staff were flung about they don't seem to have been seriously injured - I have no news on the patient but hopefully they are alright as well. The crew's first thought was for their patient and they should be commended for that.

How do you hit an ambulance which is big and yellow, with a fully lit interior? My guess would be 'while drunk' and 'with no driving license' - the police investigation is in progress.