Misinformation about vaccine safety could be driving hesitancy among some parents. UK Health Security Agency figures show none of the main childhood vaccines met the required target this year, with one in five children starting primary school without protection against several serious conditions. Information shared online that is not rooted in scientific evidence likely contributes to the decline, with widespread misinformation around the MMR vaccine seeding doubts in parents' minds. Targeted outreach to marginalised communities and caution about vaccine claims on social media are needed to improve uptake and protect public health.
Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said information shared online that is not rooted in scientific evidence could be one reason for the decline. I think there is a lot of misinformation around vaccines, particularly around the MMR vaccine, he told The Independent. They are seeding doubts into people's minds that probably wouldn't have been there before.
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