Doctor takes a jab at vaccination hesitation

Dr Zahid Chauhan

Rumours that flu jabs cause illness are giving medics the needle and risking the lives of the young and the old, warns local medic, Dr Zahid Chauhan.

The national health campaigner also claimed that 'scare mongering online nonsense' is preventing older people from receiving pneumonia inoculations and children from receiving vital first protection against measles, mumps and rubella.

And he is not alone with his dire warnings, because the World Health Organisation has put vaccination hesitation in their top ten of world health dangers.

Dr Chauhan was speaking at the start of the flu jab campaign and in the wake of research by the Wellcome Trust revealing that 21% of people weren't convinced that vaccines were safe. 

He said that totally untrue claims that the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) jab caused Autism hung like an 'albatross' around vaccinations, adding: “The undermining of confidence in vaccines has created a culture of fear and in some cases laxness, with people feeling they are a waste of time. Examine history to see how Jenner's protection eradicated smallpox or how once killer conditions have been quelled both here and in the developing world.”

Amongst the FREE injection offered by the NHS, are:

• The flu jab which is free for those with life-long conditions such as COPD – available now
• The pneumonia vaccine for those over 65 or with existing chest conditions
• Cervical cancer protection for 12-13-year-olds
• Shingles vaccines for the over 70s

“Diseases such as polio have almost disappeared because of vaccinations”, continued Dr Chauhan, “and by getting a measles jab, you are not only protecting yourself, but everyone else you might come into contact with – especially pregnant women.

“Really, are we going to let busy lives, laziness and the word of discredited so-called experts with no basis in reality, put us off? Get your vaccinations. And give yourself the best shot at good health.”