Young people are more sceptical of vaccinations than older generations, with faith in the flu jab particularly low, a European Commission report has found.

Misguided perceptions that diseases, such as flu, are not a serious threat, compounded by the rapid spread of health myths on social media, are thought to be driving complacency and scepticism.

Those aged 18 to 24 were 28 per cent less likely than over-65s to agree that vaccinations are safe, and those aged between 25 and 34 were 39 per cent less likely.

The report, published by the Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), found that low trust in vaccinations is responsible for the rise in measles outbreaks across Europe.

Within the EU, 12 countries have seen a decrease in measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations since 2010 - contributing to the largest measles outbreak in seven years in 2017, when cases on the continent quadrupled.

But there is also concern over a significant lack of trust in flu vaccines.

There are as many as 50 million cases of seasonal influenza in the EU each year - and 17,000 deaths.

“People don’t think flu is a very serious illness, as they are accustomed to less severe strains,” said Professor Heidi Larson, director of the Vaccine Confidence Project at the LSHTM. “They think they’re healthy, that they know better. There’s an element of hubris involved - combined with social media storms and the popularity of herbal and alternative approaches.”