Those that don’t agree with vaccinating children are targeting our local schools and schools across the country. They are using a fake NHS checklist to tip the balance in parents and cares minds against vaccination. It is clever propaganda campaign because it looks convincing. It is an insidious and dangerous campaign because it aims to undermine confidence in the way that public health officials are trying to bring the pandemic under control.
The fake form asks whether the parent/carer or clinician understands the answer to ten statements. No clinician would ever complete this type of assessment. Mention of a clinician is added only to make this bogus exercise look like the real stuff.
Caron Morton GP, partner at Stations Drive Surgery, is concerned that this propaganda will discourage parents from having their children vaccinated:
“I am saddened that patients and parents are exposed to this level of misinformation and fear. I’m happy to speak to any concerned parents and patients about the vaccination programme and vaccine.”
Schools are sending out warnings to parents about this misinformation.
This is a nationwide issue. Media reports suggest that some schools have fallen for the scam and distributed the checklist to parents and carers. To the best of knowledge that has not occurred in the Ludlow area. Instead, some schools have been sending out warnings about growing pressure from anti-vaxxers.
The anti-vaxxers have been ever present. Just a couple of weeks ago, the latest issue of a free anti-vax newspaper titled “The Light” was distributed around Ludlow. It shines no light but promotes the sort of anti-vax arguments and populist views that Donald Trump would feel at home with. Recently, anti-vaxxers protested outside a school in Madeley.
The checklist looks at first glance to be well researched with ten questions and nine links to sources. But despite purporting to come from the NHS, it is fake. The statements are tilted towards the anti-vax viewpoint and against novel vaccines. And some are nonsensical.
“Unlike traditional vaccines, the vaccines being used for COVID-19 (“the COVID-19 vaccines”) instruct the body cells to create the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.”
Targeting the spike protein is the whole idea behind the new vaccines.
“Although alternative treatments are available, the COVID-19 vaccines have been granted Emergency Use Authorisation.”
A vaccination is not a treatment. It is a preventative measure. There are treatments for Covid-19, which range from medication to round the clock care in an intensive care unit.
The checklist goes on:
“Adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines include, but are not limited to: strokes, blindness, deafness, clotting, miscarriages, anaphylaxis and cardiovascular disorders.”
These are extremely rare side effects. The main side effects of vaccination for some people are aches and flu like symptoms, but they rarely last beyond 48 hours. Those that remain unvaccinated can catch Covid-19, which will sometimes trigger Long Covid, with debilitating impacts on health that could last for months or years.
The checklist says:
“We will not know what the possible long term effects of the COVID-19 vaccines may be (e.g., infertility) until after the studies of the clinical trials conclude in 2023. For this reason, the COVID-19 vaccines may be considered experimental.”
This is targeting younger women whose children are at school and may be hoping for another child. There is no known issue with women who are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant being vaccinated. It is normal for observations and reporting of adverse reactions to continue until well after a new vaccine is rolled out. That is the case for all treatments and this fake checklist is trying to make normal practice look dangerous.
The final question, highlighted, says:
“The patient/care does not feel coerced and is free to refuse a Covid-19 vaccine.”
No one is coerced into having a Covid-19 vaccine but it is strongly recommended that people do protect themselves and protect others around them by helping reduce the spread of the disease.
This anonymous anti-vax propaganda is dangerous.
We are not on top of this pandemic yet. In Ludlow, around ten new people test positive for Covid-19 every day. Most the growth of infection is among school age children.
We must press ahead to get as many people vaccinated as possible, including children, before the winter flu season is upon us.
I don’t really understand why the word ‘populist’ has become such a trigger word for people. The entire premise of democracy is that the most popular policies should prevail, so by definition there is nothing wrong with populism. It is time we retired this dreadful slur which is, in essence, anti-democratic.