Childhood Immunisations with the Experts
Dr Louisa James from the Blizard Institute joins public health social media campaign for childhood vaccinations
In recent years, uptake of childhood vaccinations has steadily declined amid widespread misinformation. In an effort to combat this, the Department of Health and Social Care have turned to the experts for a new social media campaign that asks – why does this matter?
Senior Lecturer in Immunology, Dr Louisa James of the Blizard Institute at Queen Mary University of London, joins fellow experts from University College London, the University of Glasgow, Cardiff University and the Royal Veterinary College in a new video that has been published on the Department of Health and Social Care’s Twitter channel.
Together, as members of the British Society of Immunology, the experts briefly summarise a history of preventable childhood diseases, some of which are now re-emerging, and offer reassurance regarding the safety of vaccinations and the rigorous testing processes they’re put through before they reach the public.
Dr Louisa James comments:
The vaccination is really the only safe and effective way to prevent serious disease from childhood infections. There’s estimated that vaccinations save around 2-3 million lives each year. They’re incredibly safe. They’ve revolutionised modern medicine and have even eradicated some diseases, such as smallpox.
The new campaign emphasises the importance of vaccinations to protect children against serious diseases including measles, polio and whooping cough.
Follow @DHSCgovuk and visit the NHS website for more guidance on vaccinations in the UK.