False claims vaccines are ‘not halal’ could hinder immunisation rollout, doctor warns

British Islamic Medical Association warns years of subpar public health messaging and inability to access vaccines not containing pork gelatine could see lower uptake of jab, reports Andy Gregory

‘This isn’t in a vacuum, it isn’t that these communities aren’t playing ball when it comes to Covid,’ expert says (Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images)

A lack of trust in the government, “historic inequalities” and vaccine misinformation – including false claims that the coronavirus jab is not halal – could hinder its rollout, a leading doctor has warned.

Among “the usual stuff that is in the spirit of anti-vaxxers”, some of the misinformation currently proliferating “has picked out certain bits that are particularly triggering within Muslim communities”, warned Salman Waqar, from the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA).

Immunisation programmes have often seen low uptake among Muslims, in part because flu and childhood vaccines not containing pork gelatine were unavailable in England and Wales until this year, he said.