[Chris O'Carroll]

As far as I know, anyone who had chickenpox as a child is at risk for shingles in adulthood even without coming into contact with a child who currently has chickenpox. I had all of the standard childhood diseases, and I got an anti-shingles vaccine not long ago. I had to pay about $250 for it, but my insurance company later reimbursed me for the full amount. Presumably, the same vaccine is available in the UK, although I have no idea what it might cost there; I don't believe the NHS offers it for free.

As for measles, it's mostly non-fatal -- maybe 3 deaths per thousand cases in relatively healthy, affluent populations, 3 deaths per 10 cases where factors such as poverty, malnutrition, and AIDS make people more vulnerable. I don't know a great deal about the extent of the Wales outbreak; perhaps a fatality rate of zero is not too much to hope for.