Anti-vaxxers actively distributing their printed materials - Pavluts

RIGA - Covid-19 anti-vaxxers are currently busily distributing their printed materials, including by dropping them in people's mailboxes, Health Minister Daniels Pavluts (For Development/For) warned at the government meeting Tuesday. 

In this context, the health minister stressed the importance of communication to disprove the misinformation that is being spread in society about vaccination. "It is necessary to provide official and true information about vaccination in all possible ways," the minister said. 

Arguing for the necessity to provide an official vaccination newspaper, Pavluts said that there are people in Latvia who do not use the internet, some do not follow official news and some cannot be reached by advertisements on public transport, on the radio or television. This aspect, in the minister's view, is the reason why it would be necessary to prepare a printed publication that would reach everyone in Latvia. 

Pavluts said that printed material on vaccination against Covid-19 is currently in the process of preparation and that its total costs are estimated at EUR 100,000. The vaccination newspaper would be mailed for three to 850,000 households across Latvia. 

Earlier, Interior Minister Sandis Girgens (For a Humane Latvia; KPV LV) questioned the necessity for such a vaccination newspaper, saying that it might not be the most effective way of informing the public about the vaccines. 

Instead, Girgens proposed tasking family physicians with informing their patients about the Covid-19 vaccines and integrating the planned vaccine newspaper in the regional press.

However, Pavluts indicated that the Health Ministry will rely primarily on communication experts' advice and use all communication channels to reach Latvia's residents.