Global Community Must Build Trust In Vaccines

The Guardian: How do we combat the global measles revival? It’s a matter of trust
Charlie Weller, head of vaccines program at Wellcome

“There’s no vaccine against distrust in vaccines. Millions of children in the world used to die each year from infections like measles. Now, thanks to routine immunization programs, they don’t. But … it doesn’t mean we can be complacent. … In France, one in three people disagree that vaccines are safe. That’s more than in any other nation in the Wellcome Global Monitor, which surveyed more than 140,000 people in 144 countries. … Reassuringly, 92% of parents in the global survey said their children are getting vaccinated against childhood infections. This suggests even parents who aren’t sure that vaccines are safe mostly agree it is still important for children to have them. … [V]accine confidence is not just about giving people information or persuading them with logic — it’s bound up with how we feel about many other aspects of our lives. Understanding the causes of low confidence is important, but the next step must be to find ways to address people’s concerns effectively and build trust. … Vaccines are safe and they work; that’s a fact. But until everyone is convinced, everyone else is at risk” (6/20).

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