In a shocking study, it has been revealed that “A SURGE in anti-vaxxers could torpedo Britain’s chances of stopping coronavirus”. An online poll result showed that a third of Brits could refuse a life-saving Covid-19 vaccine because of conspiracy theories peddled online.
But, according to some scientists about 82 per cent of Brits will need to get immunised to stop the killer bug in its tracks. Even if scientists discover a jab, this may not be able to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Imran Ahmed, the boss of the Center for Countering Digital Hate which commissioned the study, has blasted tech giants for peddling dangerous conspiracy theories. He was quoted saying, "Our hope for a return to normal life rests with scientists developing a successful vaccine for coronavirus. But social media companies’ irresponsible decision to continue to publish anti-vaccine propaganda means a vaccine may not be effective in containing the virus. The price for their greed is a cost paid in lives. There is simply no responsible justification for publishing lies and conspiracy theories about vaccines.”
A poll conducted by The YouGovon 1,663 people found that 31 per cent either “will '' refuse to get the jab, or are unsure about getting one. People who get their news from social media were a whopping 38 per cent and only 69 per cent of Brits said that they expect to get a jab.
Boffins say 82 per cent of the population would need to be vaccinated to stop the pandemic in Britain. With over 57 million followers online across the UK and the Us, anti-vax conspiracy theorists continue to spread fake news online.
An online report cited outlandish lies, including claims Bill Gates created the coronavirus pandemic and that vaccines cause Covid-19, were found on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, the research found. A Government spokesman said, "Vaccine misinformation in any form is completely unacceptable and it is everyone’s responsibility to seek NHS advice, so that they have the right information to make the right choice.”