Anti-vaccine movement is a threat to kids across Scotland

The damaging effects of social media conspiracy theorists are coming home to roost with increased numbers of childhood diseases returning with a vengeance.

We all know the benefits of vaccinations and the thousands of lives which have been saved by them over the years.

Deadly diseases such as smallpox have been completely eradicated because of immunisation programmes and for a while it was thought measles would follow them into the annals of history.

However, a dip in the numbers of people having vaccinations has seen numbers begin to rise again.

Childhood diseases like measles, mumps, rubella and whooping cough will have little effect on most youngsters except for them feeling a little poorly.

But in extreme cases they can and still do lead to serious illness and death.

Anti-vaxxers have been swamping social media channels with damaging messages and conspiracy theories which have heightened since the Covid jags were introduced.

And with an increasing number of people relying on Facebook, X and Tik-Tok for information rather than traditional media, it is little wonder there is confusion and suspicion.

But while with the latter there are proper checks and balances, with social media anyone can post hare-brained nonsense without any comeback.

We have already seen the rises in whooping cough and measles cases and health chiefs are rightly concerned at the falling numbers of children and adults being immunised.

Public Health Scotland has said anti-vax sentiment was mentioned by most immunisation coordinators as something directly affecting vaccine uptake.

Parents must be careful of what they read online, the very lives of their own children could depend on it.

Patients not taxis

PATIENTS discharged from the country’s flagship hospital must leave with the necessary medication and paperwork.

It is arrant nonsense to allow them to go home and have their meds and papers follow them in a taxi a short while later.

There must be a system where staff can get all the ducks in a row to prevent any unnecessary delays to discharge but without rushing patients away not fully equipped to continue their recovery.

There is no doubt it is vital that we free up beds as quickly as possible to prevent backlogs of patients at hospital doors.

But the tens of thousands of pounds being unnecessarily spent on taxis by Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital could – and should – be spent on patient care.

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