Poll shows many may not take up Covid-19 vaccine
FRESH polling has suggested that almost a third of Britons definitely will not or are unsure about whether they will take up a Covid-19 vaccine as “anti-vax” misinformation takes hold online.
In a survey conducted on behalf of research group Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), only 6% of people polled said they would definitely not get vaccinated.
But a further 10% said they would “probably not”, while another 15% said they did not know, taking the numbers of those who may not get vaccinated against the deadly disease up to almost a third of the population.
Out of the 1,663 people questioned in Britain, 38% said they would “definitely” get vaccinated and another 31% declared they “probably” would – a total of 69%.
With scientists predicting that more than three-quarters of the population would need to be vaccinated in order to have success in suppressing coronavirus, the findings could represent a threat to the ability to contain Covid-19.
CCDH said its polling results come amid a dramatic rise in the popularity of anti-vaccine social media pages and channels, with 7.7 million more social media users following such accounts since the outbreak of coronavirus.
In its poll, carried out by YouGov between June 24-25, CCDH found that members of the public who relied on social media more than traditional media for information were less likely to say they would get vaccinated.
Last year, the UK lost its measles-free status due to experiencing a fall in the number of parents ensuring their children were vaccinated.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the time that the UK was “suddenly going in the wrong direction” and that “people have been listening to that superstitious mumbo jumbo on the internet, all that anti-vax stuff”.
In a report published by the group today, The Anti-Vax Industry, the authors state that the total following for anti-vax advocates and groups online is up to 57 million across both the US and UK.
The report analysed more than 400 anti-vax Facebook groups and pages, YouTube channels, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
It found they were publishing false conspiracy theories, including that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had created the coronavirus pandemic, that vaccines cause Covid-19, and that tests for the coronavirus vaccine had caused women to become infertile.
CCDH said its research indicated that social media companies had chosen to adopt lenient policies on anti-vaccine content, with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube promising only to reduce the ease with which users could find antivaccine content but refusing to remove pages or groups which promoted anti-vax content.
Imran Ahmed, chief executive of CCDH, said: “Our hope for a return to normal life rests with scientists developing a successful vaccine for coronavirus.
“But social media companies’ irresponsible decision to continue to publish anti-vaccine propaganda means a vaccine may not be effective in containing the virus.
“The price for their greed is a cost paid in lives.
“There is simply no responsible justification for publishing lies and conspiracy theories about vaccines.”
Jo Stevens, Labour’s Shadow Culture Secretary and MP for Cardiff Central, said: “This poll lays bare just how dangerous disinformation online can be.
“The rapid spread of false information about vaccinations could literally be a question of life and death.
“Social media companies must ensure this content has no place on their platforms and ministers must do more to promote the benefits of vaccines and counter the harmful, dangerous myths which surround them before a coronavirus vaccine becomes available.”
We can make plans for the hen do. But you’re planning with your fingers and toes crossed, really hoping that there won’t be a second peak