UK battles anti-vax misinformation after child's death
A child's death from measles in Britain has sparked calls from officials urging parents to get their children vaccinated. Photo by Julio Cesar Aguilar / Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse
A child's death from measles has sparked urgent calls from British public health officials to get children vaccinated, as the UK faces an onslaught of misinformation on social media, much of it from the United States.
Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications. It is preventable through double MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jabs in early childhood.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting on July 14 confirmed to parliament that a child had died in the UK of measles.
No details have been released, but The Sunday Times and Liverpool Echo newspapers reported the child had been severely ill with measles and other serious health problems in Alder Hey hospital in the northwestern city.
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