'Educated' anti-vaxxers

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Anti-vaccine sentiment has always been a problem in Pakistan, but a new study shows that its prevalence may be more widespread than previously thought. Also worryingly, vaccine denial and hesitancy are unusually high among urban working women than housewives or women in rural areas. Further complicating matters is the fact that because women are usually the primary caregivers and decision-makers in households, their stance on vaccinations holds significant implications for public health and child welfare.

The numbers from the survey are eye-catching. Working mothers are three times more opposed to vaccinating their children compared to their housebound counterparts. Instead of being more familiar with reliable information, many working women expressed skepticism about vaccine safety and necessity, with nearly half of those refusing vaccines voicing doubts about their benefits. This signals a disturbing discord between education and informed health decision-making, highlighting the influence of misinformation that spreads rapidly through social media and peer networks.

But it is not just disinformation. Working mothers are particularly vulnerable to logistical challenges, especially if employers do not have any formal leave policies specifically for parents. While the government has done a lot to increase access to polio vaccination, parents still usually need to take their children some distance to get other vaccines. Perhaps working towards making all vaccines easily accessible through extended clinic hours and mobile vaccination units could protect even more of the youngest Pakistanis from preventable diseases.

At the same time, we must pinpoint why so many educated people are falling for conspiracy theories regarding vaccine safety and find ways to get accurate information to them, and convince them that vaccines are generally safe with only a minuscule risk of serious adverse reactions, and overwhelmingly beneficial in cost-benefit terms.