A whopping 90 percent of Greeks believe in the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing infectious diseases according to a survey released today by Eurobarometer. The EU average is 86 percent.
The study was conducted at a time in which citizens’ trust in vaccines has declined due to disinformation.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has characterised the dissemination of false information about vaccines as one of the ten top threats to public health in 2019.
According to the findings 37 percent of those surveyed in Greece have been vaccinated in the last five years, while 38 percent had not. The vast majority, 94 percent, said that they trust healthcare professionals in gathering information on vaccines.
Alarmingly, 48 percent of Europeans erroneously believe that vaccines often cause serious side effects. In Greece, 41 percent believe the same.
“The more we talk about what is true and what is a misperception on vaccination, the better chance we have to get the right messages,” European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, said at a press briefing.
He underscored that vaccination is one of the most effective public health measures ever, not only as a preventive measure that saves lives but also because they reduce healthcare expenditures.
The Commission will host a Global Vaccination Summit together with the WHO in September.
