A previously eliminated disease — measles — is resurgent in Canada amid declining vaccination rates

It’s occurring at a time, post COVID-19, of increasing polarization with respect to vaccine policies. Meanwhile, overly simplistic notions of autonomy and personal choice are becoming familiar refrains in public and political debates alike.

Read more: Canada loses its official ‘measles-free’ status – and the US will follow soon, as vaccination rates fall

The measles resurgence is also happening as vaccine mis- and disinformation is rife, including by those who claim to care about autonomy. But mis- and disinformation are fundamentally anti-autonomy.

Autonomy, broadly, is the ability to make choices in life that align with who we are, and our own personal beliefs and values. It is the foundation for informed consent and thus a central aspect of ethical vaccine policies and programs.

But genuine autonomy depends on the information we are exposed to and have access to, and that helps shape our beliefs. When we are exposed to mis- and disinformation, it becomes difficult to be truly autonomous.

Immunity and Society is a new series from The Conversation Canada that presents new vaccine discoveries and immune-based innovations that are changing how we........

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