Recommendation 11

Deliberate misinformation about the safety of vaccines is not only irresponsible— it costs lives. Tackling state-backed falsehoods on covid-19 should be an integral part of the Government’s global health security strategy. To promote global access to covid-19 vaccines and bring the pandemic under control, communities around the world need access to reliable information about immunisation, delivered in a format that is accessible and inspires trust. This requires strong local media outlets. The FCDO should lead on efforts to counter health misinformation internationally. 24 Global Health, Global Britain In particular, it should target support to independent local media outlets in regions at risk of high levels of vaccine hesitancy. The Government should give the BBC World Service long-term funding to tackle fake news, with a focus on strategic locations such as Russia and China. (Paragraph 33) Aid and global health