UN says online anti-vaxxers fueling Samoa measles deaths
Dec 5, 2019 8:38:03 GMT -5
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Post by Drifter on Dec 5, 2019 8:38:03 GMT -5
UN says online anti-vaxxers fueling Samoa measles deaths
Social media giants must crack down on anti-vaccination posts that are fueling Samoa’s deadly measles epidemic from afar, UNICEF’s Pacific islands chief said Thursday.
Sheldon Yett, the regional representative for the UN children’s agency, said “incredibly irresponsible” online material on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram had exacerbated the Samoa measles outbreak — which has claimed 62 lives since mid-October — by discouraging immunization.
“It’s quite clear that they have a corporate responsibility to step up to the plate and make sure that populations, particularly vulnerable populations, get accurate information that’s going to keep children alive,” Yett told AFP.
Immunization rates in Samoa dropped to just over 30 percent before the outbreak, well below accepted best practice of around 90 percent, making the island nation extremely vulnerable to infection.
The World Health Organization blamed an anti-vaccine messaging campaign, which Yett said was carried out largely online by overseas-based activists.
“It’s quite obvious that there are very loud people on social media making very false claims about vaccines,” he said.
“Unfortunately it’s found a ready audience in Samoa, where some people are suspicious about the quality of healthcare and may have issues with local (vaccine) providers.”
He said activists posting anti-vaccine material from wealthy developed countries such as the United States and Australia needed to realize the impact of their actions in developing nations.
“It’s devastating, it can be a death sentence for a child here where there’s low immunization and possibly other health issues going on in the background,” he said from the capital Apia.
Read more here: www.rawstory.com/2019/12/un-says-online-anti-vaxxers-fueling-samoa-measles-deaths/
Social media giants must crack down on anti-vaccination posts that are fueling Samoa’s deadly measles epidemic from afar, UNICEF’s Pacific islands chief said Thursday.
Sheldon Yett, the regional representative for the UN children’s agency, said “incredibly irresponsible” online material on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram had exacerbated the Samoa measles outbreak — which has claimed 62 lives since mid-October — by discouraging immunization.
“It’s quite clear that they have a corporate responsibility to step up to the plate and make sure that populations, particularly vulnerable populations, get accurate information that’s going to keep children alive,” Yett told AFP.
Immunization rates in Samoa dropped to just over 30 percent before the outbreak, well below accepted best practice of around 90 percent, making the island nation extremely vulnerable to infection.
The World Health Organization blamed an anti-vaccine messaging campaign, which Yett said was carried out largely online by overseas-based activists.
“It’s quite obvious that there are very loud people on social media making very false claims about vaccines,” he said.
“Unfortunately it’s found a ready audience in Samoa, where some people are suspicious about the quality of healthcare and may have issues with local (vaccine) providers.”
He said activists posting anti-vaccine material from wealthy developed countries such as the United States and Australia needed to realize the impact of their actions in developing nations.
“It’s devastating, it can be a death sentence for a child here where there’s low immunization and possibly other health issues going on in the background,” he said from the capital Apia.
Read more here: www.rawstory.com/2019/12/un-says-online-anti-vaxxers-fueling-samoa-measles-deaths/
