A councillor has criticised “anti-vaxxers” who are accused of targeting school children in Portslade with misinformation about the coronavirus jab.
Independent councillor Peter Atkinson, who represents North Portslade on Brighton and Hove City Council, said that he was alarmed by the latest tactic of anti-vaxxers in their war against the covid-19 vaccine.
He said: “Young people are being approached straight after school at bus stops and given a card with details of anti-vax organisations.
“The card uses diplomatic language in an attempt to appear measured and non-inflammatory.
“But the sites it refers people on to are strongly anti-vaccination and do not give an objective or considered view on the pros and cons of vaccination.
“These cards were being given out by a young female at a bus stop in North Portslade outside the Portslade Aldridge Community Academy.
“The person gave the cards out and spoke with a number of students – some as young as 13.
“She then got on the bus and proceeded to carry on speaking to pupils upstairs on the bus.
“Both the police and the school have been informed by concerned parents.”
Councillor Atkinson said: “There may well be a safeguarding issue here as flagged up by parents with the school and the police.
“Some of these schoolchildren are only in their early teens and for someone to be targeting them in this way is completely unacceptable.
“Vaccination is very much a personal choice decided on by the young person and their parents.
“For someone to try to interfere with this is, frankly, despicable”.
Councillor Atkinson has also approached the local NHS commissioners to alert them to this campaign of disinformation.
Misinformation?