Anti-vaccination propaganda delivered to Shropshire homes branded 'dangerous scaremongering'
Anti-vaccination propaganda being delivered to county homes has been branded “reckless and dangerous scaremongering”.
The past few days have seen anti-vaccination leaflets being delivered to homes in the Shrewsbury area, encouraging people to “wait and see” rather than have the vaccine.
There are concerns that the leaflets, which feature a host of claims about the creation of the Covid vaccine, could dissuade some vulnerable people from getting vaccinated.
It comes as the county is in the process of increasing the number of people receiving the Covid vaccination with health bosses co-ordinating the programme at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, in GP practices and care homes.
Today health services have asked people to be patient and said they will be contacted when it is their turn to be vaccinated.
But health bosses have warned that anti-vaccination propaganda could have “serious consequences”.
A spokesman for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups encouraged people to seek professional advice if they have concerns.
Councillor Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s portfolio holder for adult social services and public health, said: “As any doctor will tell you, vaccines save lives, so I am very disappointed to see this propaganda recklessly targeting people who are vulnerable to Covid-19 to dissuade them from getting vaccinated.
"There is no place for this type of scaremongering in the midst of a global pandemic and I hope the people of Shropshire will treat it with the contempt it deserves.”
Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow, where vaccinations are today beginning in only the second care home in the county, said such misinformation was “dangerous scaremongering”.
Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow, where vaccinations are today beginning in only the second care home in the county, said such misinformation was “dangerous scaremongering”.
He said: "I am concerned to see such anti-vax material circulating in an attempt to spread fears about the MHRA approved vaccines, which are now being deployed to help save lives and combat Covid-19. This is dangerous scaremongering.
"The regulator MHRA explained clearly how its procedures have been accelerated by a rolling review of the required trials process under the emergency procedures available to it.
"This was carefully explained when MHRA announced its approval of the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine at its press conference on Wednesday."
He added: "I was pleased to hear locally there was significant take-up of the vaccine from those who have been offered it so far, with anecdotally a very low percentage (two to three per cent) unable to take up the offer of the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine in South West Shropshire in the first batch before Christmas, due to difficulties in arranging transport at short notice in rural areas.
"There is advice on the gov.uk website for anyone offered a vaccine who is pregnant, breastfeeding or has had allergic reactions to vaccine ingredients before. Alternatively consult your GP when offered a vaccination.”
