'Rampant misinformation' marred bid to battle measles, says Health Minister

In an executive summary, the minister was informed that national uptake for the MMR vaccine was below 90% and the risk of transmission of the disease was 'very high'. File photo: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie

Ireland’s efforts to combat the spread of measles were compromised by rampant misinformation that had spread around a link between the vaccine and autism, according to a submission for Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

In documents urging a “catch-up” programme for the MMR vaccine, officials said that nearly one in five males in the 18- to 19-year-old age bracket were “non-immune”.