The introduction of the Covid-19 vaccine to schools in the UK has created a new front in the misinformation campaign, with anti-vaccination activists now bringing their demonstrations to the school gates as part of their campaign.
In order to inflame the concerns of children and parents about vaccination, anti-vaccination groups have erroneously claimed that vaccinations are untested and harmful.
Schools Have Become A New Battlefield In The Fight Against Misinformation Around The Covid Vaccination
An unruly crowd of protestors gathered opposite St. Thomas More Catholic School in the town of Blaydon, near Newcastle in northern England, as students were about to enter the school gates last week.
President Jonathan Parkinson wrote on the school’s website that many pupils had been “very disturbed by the manner they were handled and the pictures they were shown.” He also said that the police had already been notified about the school’s concerns.
In a statement, he said that the school’s responsibility in this matter is to host the vaccination team. “We have not taken a position on whether or not kids should be vaccinated since that is a choice that families must make,” he added.
The well-being of our kids remains our top concern, and we are making every effort to assist those who are experiencing difficulties. Chilwell School in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, central England, was targeted by anti-vaccination activists, according to David Phillips, the school’s headmaster, who told the news agency last month how he had called the police. After receiving “abusive and threatening communications.”
According to the Press Association, students have been given disinformation pamphlets, and banners have been posted outside the school accusing it of “handling children like experimental animals.” According to local media accounts, anti-vax activists also attacked Lytham St Annes Junior High in Lancashire, northeast England, on September 30.
Late last month, vaccinations for healthy youngsters aged 12 to 15 were made available throughout the United Kingdom, with each kid receiving a single dosage of a Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Many students will be given the injection as part of a vaccination campaign at their school, with participation entirely optional.
In most cases, parental permission would be sought. However, the government said that confident older children might be allowed to be immunized against the parents’ wishes if they have been deemed mature enough to provide informed consent.
According to the BBC, on September 14, 2021, a student raises their hand during a class at Whitchurch High School in Cardiff, Wales. Outreach Worldwide, an anti-tax organization, has issued a request on Instagram for supporters to push its “written consent campaign” outside certain schools at specific times throughout the day. It is not known how many individuals have replied to this request.
One additional broad message on the company’s Instagram page reads as follows: “Take a stand in support of the children. Peacefully interrupt the injection rolling out at your local elementary school on the day of the injection.” Placards with slogans such as “Mums Against Jabbing Children” and “These vaccinations are hurting our teenagers” are shown in other pictures.