Leaders’ pledge to combat 'comical' vaccine theories
City leaders have backed a call to combat anti-vax conspiracy theories.
Sunderland City Councillors almost unanimously backed the pledge to “actively call out and challenge” attempts to spread misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.
But before they could give thegreenlight,theyhadtosee off an attempt to water down theproposal,whichoneopponent described as an attempt to “close-down debate”.
“Wehavetodoallwecanto counter the anti-vaccination movement,” said Cllr Kelly Chequer.
“While the false claims they make are, frankly, comical, my fear is that the spread of misinformation into mainstreamandsocialmediacould result in fewer people taking up the opportunity to be vaccinated and undermining the programme.”
Cllr Chequer was speaking at a meeting of the full city council, held by videolink and broadcast via YouTube.
It came shortly after the councilwasawarded£510,000 from Government to help tackle 'life-threatening' false information and boost takeup of the Covid vaccine.
Atleast87%ofover80sand 97%ofcarehomeresidentson Wearside have already been vaccinated, as well as the ‘vast majority‘ of 75-year-olds.
However, fears have been raisedmoremaychoosetoreject offers of a vaccine as the jab is rolled out to younger age groups. The motion, which wasoriginallyproposedbythe
city council’s ruling Labour Party group, was challenged by UKIP councillors.
UKIP’sCllrPamMannsaid: “This [motion] is stating that every councillor is obliged to become morally bound to follow this action.
“Thisisanautocraticstatement which takes no account of an individual’s wishes or opinion or those of the population they represent.”
The proposed UKIP amendment was defeated by a margin of 3-62 before the original Labour motion was
agreed. It comes as the Sunderland Echo runs its Shot in the Arm campaign, calling on the Government to enlist the UK’s network of local pharmacies to help bring vaccines closer to people’s doorsteps.
It also asked the Government to start providing far more easy-to-access information on the vaccine programme – and timetable – to provide families, particularly the elderly and clinically vulnerable,withthereassurance that they’ve not been forgotten.