UK Battles Anti-Vax Misinformation After Child's Measles Death

A child's death from measles in the UK has intensified urgent calls by British public health officials for increased MMR vaccination amid a rising measles outbreak. The death, confirmed by UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting, occurred at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, which has treated 17 measles cases since June. Despite the severity of measles, misinformation and disinformation, much originating from social media in the United States, have spread rapidly, with influencers falsely claiming that measles is not dangerous and vaccines are unsafe and ineffective. Liverpool's Director of Public Health, Matthew Ashton, condemned these falsehoods and emphasized that measles is a serious virus and that vaccination protects individuals and vulnerable populations. The UK faces low vaccine coverage in some regions, with only 74% in Liverpool and 84% nationwide, far below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks. Health experts stress that combating misinformation is as critical as fighting the disease itself to prevent further measles outbreaks in the UK and globally.