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Vaccine Hesitancy
About Vaccine Hesitancy
Vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to public health. The modern anti vaccine movement was amplified by Andrew Wakefields 1998 Lancet paper claiming a link between MMR and autism. The paper was retracted in 2010 after being found fraudulent. Wakefield was struck off the UK medical register. Despite retraction, the autism myth persists. Vaccine hesitancy increased during the COVID 19 pandemic. A 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa killed 83 people after vaccine coverage fell following anti vaccine messaging. Several European countries, including the UK, lost their measles elimination status in 2019. The SAGE Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy identified complacency, convenience, and confidence as key factors. Social media has amplified vaccine misinformation. The WHO lists vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health.
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