Immunology Expert Emphasizing 'Children's Vaccination' Receives Threatening Letter

An 8-year-old child in Connecticut, USA, receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. [Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] An Italian coronavirus immunology expert who has repeatedly emphasized the importance of vaccinating children received a murder threat letter containing a bullet.

According to a report by the UK’s BBC on the 6th (local time), Antonella Viola, head of the Pediatrics Research Institute at the University of Padua and an immunologist, recently became a target of anti-vaccine activists after repeatedly stating that "children should also be vaccinated."

The report stated that Professor Viola announced on her Facebook that she recently received a murder threat letter accompanied by a bullet delivered to her.

The letter contained a message saying, "If you do not stop saying that children should not be vaccinated, you and your family will be shot."

Professor Viola said, "These people only know how to hate, rejecting logic and law, and are anti-vaccine activists who provoke tension and violence."

She added, "Despite the murder threats, I will continue to advise parents to vaccinate their children."

Antonella Viola, head of the Pediatric Research Institute and immunologist at the University of Padua in Italy, who has repeatedly emphasized the importance of vaccinating children, received a death threat letter containing bullets.
[Photo by BBC]

In Italy, children aged 5 to 11 have been receiving vaccinations since last month, but it is not mandatory.

Meanwhile, BBC reported that such threats against public officials have noticeably increased in several European countries since the beginning of the new year.

Several members of the French National Assembly also received murder threats during discussions on the mandatory vaccine pass legislation.

Additionally, in the Netherlands, conspiracy theorists visited the home of politician Sigrid Kaag, waving flares and live-streaming the event on Facebook.

In several German cities, protests against mandatory vaccinations continued. Police responded by firing tear gas and wielding batons to suppress the demonstrations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.