Mum finds anti-vaxxers propaganda inside baby formula from Woolworths supermarket
A MOTHER was horrified to find anti-vax propaganda inside the can of baby formula she bought at a supermarket
NSW
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IN a new low, anti-vaxxers have been caught tampering with baby formula tins in a supermarket to spread their propaganda.
Amanda Wilkinson bought baby formula from Woolworths at Westfield’s Whitfords City in Perth last Tuesday, but when she got home and opened the can found a card from an anti-vax group under the lid.
“I had just had my little girl’s six months vaccinations and that afternoon I opened a new tin or formula to find this card placed under the lid,” she said.
The card claims Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is caused by vaccines and gives links to an American anti-vax group called learntherisk.org.
Multiple studies have found no connection between SIDS and vaccination with several investigations instead showing vaccinated children have a lesser rate of SIDS.
Mrs Wilkinson, a mother of four from Duncraig, said she was shocked that anti-vax campaigners had tampered with infant formula.
“I feel furious someone has been tampering with the formula tins, it was still sealed but someone is still putting this inside,” she said.
“It’s disgusting, not only promoting not vaccinating but opening tins and putting their rubbish inside is a worry.
“I felt really uneasy that someone had opened up the tins and slipped this card inside. If you were a first time mum it might stop you vaccinating,” Mrs Wilkinson said.
Pro-vaccine campaigner Catherine Hughes, whose son Riley died of whooping cough at four weeks of age in 2015, said it was a new low for the anti-vax movement.
“I think it speaks volumes they have to sink to such a low level, it’s disgraceful and if you were a new parent, it could influence your decision to vaccinate. Fear is a tactic they like to use, but it’s also breach of safety that they can go into a Woolworth’s store and tamper with formula, it’s concerning on many levels,” Mrs Hughes said.
Mrs Wilkinson has lodged a complaint with the Woolworths store in question. A national spokeswoman for the supermarket chain said they had escalated the matter but would not make a comment publicly.
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Mrs Wilkinson has been contacted by Woolworth and assured her complaint is being taken seriously and investigated.
Anti-Vaccination Australia members have also boasted this week of distributing anti-vaccine “bookmarks” in the baby section of bookstores and anti-vaccine campaigner Stephanie Messenger, who wrote a book espousing the virtues of catching measles, has begun a letter drop around the nation claiming vaccines kill.
The Rednose group, formerly SIDS and Kids Australia, which specialise in SIDS prevention and bereavement, recommend that all babies receive the normal program of immunisations at the scheduled ages.