Tue | Mar 19, 2024

UK to pressure social media companies to fight anti-vaccination campaign

Published:Monday | August 19, 2019 | 10:06 AM
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets patients and families during a visit to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, south-west England, Monday August 19, 2019. (Peter Nicholls/Pool via AP)

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s government plans to call a summit of social media companies to discuss what more they can do to fight online misinformation about vaccines following a spike in measles cases.

Although plans for such a gathering were still being worked out, Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed concern Monday at the rising incidence of measles.

He said Britain had a great record in fighting the disease but things were suddenly “going in the wrong direction,” with 230 new measles cases in the first few months of this year.

He said authorities need to address misleading information online about vaccinations.

“I’m afraid people have been listening to that superstitious mumbo jumbo on the internet, all that anti-vax stuff and thinking that the MMR vaccine is a bad idea,” he said while visiting a hospital in southwestern England. “That’s wrong.”

Measles is highly infectious and health officials say at least about 95% of the population must be immunise to prevent outbreaks.

In May, Public Health England estimated that about 87% of children aged five had gotten both doses.

According to the World Health Organization, there were more reported measles cases worldwide in the first six months of 2019 than in any year since 2006, “with outbreaks straining health care systems and leading to serious illness, disability and deaths.”

The U.S. has reported its highest number of measles cases in 25 years.

Some British health officials welcomed Johnson’s proposal but said the country’s health service was already struggling to cope with existing demands.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169, email us at editors@gleanerjm.com or onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.