A BRADFORD community leader says mixed messages from government have helped lead to an anti-Covid vaccine movement.

Noreen Khan, the director of Neesie, says there are socio-economic inequalities in communities which have helped lead to an anti-vax mindset in Bradford.

She added conversations were going on with residents in communities in Bradford to combat the anti-vaccine views.

She took part in a debate on Good Morning Britain called ‘Should Anti-Vaxxers be prosecuted?’, which also featured Professor Robert Winston and Dame Esther Rantzen.

A total of 1.3 million people in then UK have received one of the two available Covid vaccines since the drive started last month.

She said: “A lot of this is stemming from frustrations, BAME communities or disadvantaged communities, it’s merely the neglect of public health and government and communities who have been pushed aside.

“I’m pro-vax. I cannot wait until myself and my family get the call for the vaccine.

“Anti-vax is a belief system which has stemmed from mixed messages. We have to get from source that information is coming. It’s certainly not celebrities, who are just re-posting or re-tweeting. Where is this coming from in the first place?

“Mixed messages are causing confusions. Where is messages coming from. Different messages coming from leadership.

“Confusion on ground, the first vaccine was supposed to be second dose, the goalpost has changed. When you start to change the goalposts, people are going to say red flag alert.

“Education is the key. We are not going to change everyone’s minds on this.”