An Irish immunologist has launched a video-based campaign to encourage parents to continue vaccinating their children during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Supported by the Health Research Board, Dr Rachel McLoughlin, Professor of Immunology at Trinity College Dublin, wants to highlight the importance of protecting children from other infectious diseases that may be overlooked because of the current health crisis.

The Vaccines Saves Lives campaign is available for viewing and sharing on the Trinity College and HSE YouTube Channels. Dr McLoughlin has included a rap song in the series, hoping that the campaign will appeal to all ages while outlining the need for these vital vaccinations in children.

Dr McLoughlin explains that her work to develop alternative ways of treating and preventing the spread of new diseases make it a “no-brainer” in deciding to vaccinate her own children against the spread of infection. Taking her youngest daughter to receive her vaccinations during the pandemic prompted the idea for raising awareness of the importance of these vaccines in protecting children and in turn, the wider community.

The mother of three says that the pandemic “has really helped to amplify the importance of vaccinations in the fight against the often devastating effects of potentially deadly infectious diseases”. Stating that “knowledge is power”, McLoughlin is using her expertise to inform and motivate parents on the importance of protecting young children from harmful infections. Her #KeepVaccinating message aims to highlight the importance of the childhood immunisation schedule in Ireland, while heightening the understanding of the harmful effects that a potentially dangerous virus can have on our lives.

Dr Rachel McLoughlin with her 16-month-old daughter Avril, who received her vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parent survey

Online parenting community BabyDoc Club have collaborated with the Vaccines Saves Lives campaign in collecting information about the knowledge base of parents regarding their child’s vaccinations.

The online platform noted that one in four infant vaccine appointments were delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions, while one in five parents are worried that their child was late to get their vaccines due to COVID-19. The study revealed that 95% of parents feel that the childhood immunisation schedule of vaccines is necessary in the fight to protect children and the community against harmful diseases. There was a high consensus (82%) of participants believing that all parents should be obligated to prove that their child has been vaccinated in accordance with the Childhood Immunisation Schedule before attending ECCE and primary school.

BabyDoc Club also shared that despite the high level of support for childhood immunisation, 35% of parents surveyed were unaware of exactly what infections their children had been vaccinated against. Furthermore, just 60% of pregnant mothers and mums of new born babies feel that they are well informed about the Childhood Immunisation Programme in Ireland. However, 69% of parents would agree that the ongoing pandemic has made them value the importance of their baby’s routine vaccines even more.

Laura Erskine, parenting expert with BabyDoc Club, echoes Dr McLoughlin’s efforts to inform and support parents with their children’s vaccine schedule, explaining how the first year of a baby’s life is vital in the development of their immune systems. She reiterates that, especially at a time like this, it is very important for babies to receive their vaccinations on time where possible as we have seen how “a new virus can develop and reach world pandemic proportions in such a short time”. Not only is our immunisation programme free, it will also protect our children now and for generations to come.

As we await the development of a safe vaccination for COVID-19, McLoughlin hopes that parents will engage with the information she is providing through her new video campaign. Her first round of videos will be released this month, followed by a second phase for World Immunisation Week in April 2021.

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