大象传媒

Many governments across Europe are bringing in new restrictions to try to tackle rising infections. A number of countries have recently reported record-high daily case numbers and are introducing vaccine mandates, particularly in areas where vaccine take up is low. However, there is a resistance to these mandates and suspicions regarding the vaccines themselves.

Rachel Schraer, the 大象传媒's specialist health disinformation reporter, explains how misinformation about the vaccine is distributed primarily online, often via messaging apps, and can claim the vaccine doesn't work or has dangerous side effects. Low vaccine take up may also be present in areas where people don't trust their governments or where there is a lack of media that encourages people to get vaccinated, making people even more susceptible to the "radicalising force" of anti vaccination claims.

Photo: Woman looking at mobile phone Credit: Getty Images