‘Infertility from vaccine’ rumour creates panic in Assam schools

PARENTS AND STUDENTS BECAME APPREHENSIVE AFTER A RUMOUR THAT THE VACCINE WILL MAKE BOTH MALES AND FEMALES INFERTILE

Rumours about a vaccine, which could lead to infertility, has led to hundreds of students skipping school in parts of lower Assam.

On Monday, students left government-run schools in interior areas of Barpeta, Nalbari and Kamrup districts after rumour about the ‘impotency vaccine’ spread on social media.

The state health department has been carrying out a vaccination drive against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) from April 30 to May 20 in Nalbari, Morigaon, Bongaigaon and Cachar for people aged 15-65 years.

Though there is no specific vaccination programme being carried out in schools, parents and students became apprehensive following a rumour that the vaccine will make both males and females infertile.

The panic is being noticed in schools in minority-dominated areas, which are in the interiors or Chars (sandbars created by rivers). “We received a complaint from a school in Hajo that parents are taking away their children for fear of being vaccinated. It is misinformation being spread and we have issued clarifications,” Vinod Seshan, deputy commissioner of Kamrup told HT.

Following the development in local news channels, panic spread to other areas on Tuesday including two schools in the state capital where parents came and took away their children.

Commissioner and secretary, health and family welfare, Samir K Sinha termed the rumours as baseless on Tuesday.

Assam recorded 3,391 positive JE cases and 779 deaths between 2010 and 2016 (the highest among states in the northeast). Vaccinations drives are carried out annually in vulnerable districts.

While the drive was carried out in the other districts earlier, it started in the remaining four from April 30. The drive is carried out ahead of monsoon as the rains are thought to precipitate the mosquito-borne disease.

Till March, there have been 65 cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and six JE cases .

“No vaccination drive is being carried out in schools in Barpeta. Routine JE vaccination is going on in heath centres. But schools in Kalgasia, Mandiya and Chenga saw students missing,” said Dr Subrata Sarma, joint director (health services), Barpeta.

To contain the spread of panic, district officials have directed health and education departments to spread awareness between parents and teachers.