We didn’t get kids all their jabs, admit 1 in 3 parents
‘Protect from serious illness’
ONE in three parents say their children have missed at least one potentially lifesaving jab, a Daily Mail poll reveals today.
In a sign that toxic ‘anti-vaxx’ myths are hindering take-up, many cited concerns about vaccine safety and side-effects.
In total, 30 per cent of parents surveyed said their children had missed one or more routine jabs including those protecting against MMR, flu or meningitis.
One in four of them said the appointment was missed because of ‘safety concerns’ about vaccines.
Furthermore, a quarter of all parents said they were ‘often’ exposed to anti-vaxx messages on social media sites.
Earlier this year the UK lost its ‘measles-free’ status with the World Health Organisation because of a marked increase in cases in England and Wales.
Uptake of the MMR jab – which prevents measles, mumps and rubella – is relatively high in Scotland, at 93.4 per cent, compared with 86 per cent in England.
Amongst the 1,083 parents who took part in the UK-wide poll conducted by ComRes on behalf of the Mail, one in ten said their child had missed at least one MMR vaccine.
Another 27 per cent said their children had not had their annual flu jab on one or more occasion.
Children are meant to have the flu vaccine every year from the ages of two to 11, mainly so they don’t spread the virus to the elderly and other highrisk individuals.
Among parents who had missed a jab, 25 per cent blamed ‘concerns over vaccine safety’ and 17 per cent worries about ‘long-term side effects’.
Professor Helen StokesLampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: ‘These figures are very disheartening and show that we really are on an uphill struggle to convince some parents about the benefits of vaccinating their children – and social media must take a lot of responsibility for this.
‘The dangerous myths and blatant untruths being peddled by anti-vaxxers to anxious parents are causing untold damage, and the whole of society will suffer the consequences.’
Liam Sollis, head of policy and advocacy at children’s charity Unicef said: ‘These survey results reinforce the need for improving access to vaccine services and the importance of ensuring credible and trustworthy information is readily available.’
Of those adults whose children had missed at least one jab, 19 per cent said they believed ‘natural immunity is better than immunity acquired through vaccination’.
This is a misplaced claim and one frequently peddled by homeopaths, as well as by anti-vaxxers on social media.
Another 11 per cent of parents said they had missed a jab because they couldn’t get a convenient GP appointment and 8 per cent simply forgot.
A further 25 per cent claimed they didn’t believe vaccines were important and 7 per cent gave religious reasons.
Both measles and mumps can lead to life-threatening complications and long-term disability including brain damage and deafness. Some homeopaths and anti-vaxxers refer to a now discredited study by Andrew
Wakefield in 1998 which linked the MMR jab to autism.
The findings were later thrown out by the medical establishment but not before they had prompted a nationwide health scare, which lasted several years.
Health officials are particularly worried about the flu virus this winter as projections from Australia – which acts as a bellwether for the UK – suggest it will be severe.
Dr Doug Brown, chief executive of the British Society for Immunology said: ‘Vaccines are the safest and most effective way to protect your child against disease.
‘They have revolutionised public health in this country, drastically reducing rates of infectious diseases and protecting millions of children from serious illness.’
But he added: ‘For this strategy to be successful, vaccination services need to be accessible and suitable to the communities they are designed to serve.’