The Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, has given her support to a campaign promoting vaccinations, ahead of European Immunisation Week.
In a video filmed by the World Health Organisation, the Crown Princess has taken a stand on the issue, saying that vaccinations “save lives” and have played a “fundamental role” in the progress of the overall health of Europeans.
European Immunisation Week is marked annually, celebrating European contributions to global development through vaccines. The focus of this year’s event was the importance of vaccines at every stage of life. “We have much to celebrate”, says the Crown Princess. “Relatively few people living in the region today will ever experience firsthand the effects of polio, measles, mumps, congenital rubella syndrome, diphtheria, pertussis or tetanus.”
The Crown Princess also went on to name the other main successes of vaccinations, including the protection of babies from diarrhoea, young women from cervical cancer and the elderly from complications with pneumonia.
Referencing recent measles outbreaks, the Crown Princess stated the importance of keeping on top of vaccination schedules – “Vaccination is a lifelong responsibility.”
The Crown Princess also urged people to dismiss “persistent rumours” which denounced the benefits of vaccinations, noting that these can cause some people to delay or decide against vaccination. “No rumour can be as compelling as the simple truth that vaccines save lives,” she said.
Common theories against vaccination often claim a link between vaccines and autism, despite this theory being scientifically disproven numerous times (see Aus government position on this here)
Watch the full address given by Crown Princess Mary below:
