Keely Goodall23 April 2024 | 15:38

Disease outbreaks could be looming due to vaccine hesitancy

Fewer parents are vaccinating their children every year.

Disease outbreaks could be looming due to vaccine hesitancy

Picture: 123rf.com/Iurii Golub

John Maytham speaks to Prof Landon Myer from UCT School of Public Health

Listen to the interview in the audio below.

According to the City of Cape Town's Health Department, vaccination rates have tumbled.

They have recorded a 16% year-on-year decline in follow up immunisations of kids younger than 12 months.

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This is not only an issue in Cape Town, as this is being seen around the world.

According to Myer, there was a fair amount of vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic, and it is upsetting to see vaccinations are continuing to decline.

He says that the problem is we do not always see the impacts of this immediately, but it could have huge consequences in the future.

“What we will see is a rise in these vaccine preventable illnesses in the next few years.”
- Prof Landon Myer, UCT School of Public Health

In the Western Cape, there have already been disease outbreaks linked to vaccine hesitancy and Myer believes this current phenomenon is a ‘harbinger of what’s to come.’

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.