Analysis
Government officials report that nearly 38,000 parents in Karachi refused to vaccinate their children during a polio vaccination campaign in May, citing “misunderstandings and lack of awareness” as the main reasons for refusal. Some social media users applauded the parents, claiming that polio vaccines are a “scam” with harmful effects, while others questioned why children need multiple polio vaccine doses. Several commenters called polio drops “poison” and falsely claimed that they are only given to Pakistani children.
Recommendations
Some people believe that babies should not receive “too many” polio drops because they mistakenly believe they are unsafe. Health communicators may explain that children need multiple doses of polio vaccines to build immunity and be fully protected from polio. OPVs are designed to be given in multiple doses, and each additional dose provides extra protection. Messaging may continue to emphasize that OPVs are very safe and are used in countries worldwide to protect children from polio.