Or are compulsory vaccines the best political policy the Tories have ever come up with?

[HollyGoLoudly1]

In the news today, Tory health secretary is investigating compulsory vaccinations for school children.

Before I don my hard hat, for background I have a close family member who is immunocompromised. He has had multiple hospital admissions over the years for simple viruses and other illnesses that most of us wouldn't even need to stay off work for. If he catches something like measles it could be fatal.

To be honest, even disregarding this family member, I am very, very pro-vaccine and would support this policy no matter what. Even if it is from the Tories (who I definitely do not support).

puts on hard hat

The impact of mandates in European countries has been assessed by the EU-funded ASSET project which found no clear link between vaccine uptake and mandatory vaccination.

It only looked at vaccinations with very high coverage rates anyway though so not that surprising they didn't find a difference. They didn't look at the MMR vaccination which is arguably the most controversial and is responsible for the falling vaccination rates.

If you're going to cite a study you should provide a link to it.

www.vaccinestoday.eu/stories/mandatory-vaccination-work-europe/

CONCLUSION
There is no one-size fits all approach to improving vaccine uptake. Some countries with mandates, such as Poland, have high vaccination rates; others, such as Finland, achieve similar results without mandates.

The real power of a mandate is not in coercing reluctant parents to vaccinate children against their will; it is in sending a signal to the wider population that vaccination is a vital part of public health. In this sense, the momentum generated by the debate on mandatory vaccination may have some positive effect. The risk, however, is that it will spark an anti-vaccine backlash equal to – or greater than – this positive signal. This risk would be amplified in cases where vaccine supply or access to vaccination services is not guaranteed, as has been the case in Romania.

In the US the evidence is clear that as the requirement is strengthened vaccination rates improve:

www.wired.com/2016/01/californias-pro-vaccination-law-may-be-working/

There's some truly fantastic hyperbole from a few 'slippery slopers'.

It was hardly in my own words. A simple Google search would have shown where it came from as you did.

Yes the conclusion did say that mandatory vaccination was a bad idea as you quoted.

We ran out of BCG vaccines this year.

I think it’s disgusting. I’m very pro vaccinations, but completely against the government having any control over our bodies and over riding consent. I’m amazed that anyone would give away their right to consent so easily.

What amazes me is when they are indignant about other issues that have been proven to be the right thing for society.

To me, you either agree that the Government should decide what's best for your children or you don't. I don't. That's why I'm pro vaccine but don't believe in mandatory vaccinations. I'm sex positive, and a vehement LGBT+ ally but feel parents should be able to withdraw their child from sex education topics which they don't want them to learn about. Even though it will likely harm some children who would benefit from learning earlier. I stay consistent with it - outside of extreme circumstances, parents should decide what is best for their children and how they and their children will contribute to social and public health measures like routine vaccination.

I think it’s disgusting. I’m very pro vaccinations, but completely against the government having any control over our bodies and over riding consent. I’m amazed that anyone would give away their right to consent so easily.

It's not your body though and consent isn't taken away. Access to public schools will be which is different. Children have no body autonomy anyway so it is really a question of whether parents should have control or in this circumstance or the state.

To me, you either agree that the Government should decide what's best for your children or you don't.

I think that the government should decide in some circumstances because not all parents can be trusted to. For example, I agree that education should be compulsory and that parents do not have the right to decide whether their children should be educated. Once at school plenty of rules are imposed that parents have no say over either. To me this isn't much different.

That's why I'm pro vaccine but don't believe in mandatory vaccinations. I'm sex positive, and a vehement LGBT+ ally but feel parents should be able to withdraw their child from sex education topics which they don't want them to learn about.

I disagree with parents being allowed to withdraw their children from sex education topics too.

i think that the government should decide in some circumstances because not all parents can be trusted to.

The naivety and meek trustfulness of this is mind blowing.

You trust a government run by Boris Johnson or Trump to make decisions for your kids. Really?

I agree, Tatiana, that would be naive at the best of times. In current times, it’s staggering. We should not forget history.

You trust a government run by Boris Johnson or Trump to make decisions for your kids. Really?

They don't have the authority to pass laws by themselves do they? Any laws have to be approved by parliament and the house of laws and they make decisions for our kids and us all the time. And yes, I think that after that process the decisions will be a lot better than some individual parent decisions. I don't see why parents should be allowed to deny children an education or on what they should learn while in school for example.

Right, and Brexit is an example of good decision making by Parliament is it?

I make better decisions as a parent every day than Parliament has done in the last 3 years.

What is the house of laws?

Yet you want to deny children an education, don’t you, woodchuck? If their parents don’t toe the vaccination line.....

Totally agree with you, Tatiana. I’m surprised anybody has any faith left in our Houses of Parliament.

Right, and Brexit is an example of good decision making by Parliament is it?

Brexit is a good example of what happens if you don't let Parliament make the decisions and have a referendum to let the people decide!

Yet you want to deny children an education, don’t you, woodchuck? If their parents don’t toe the vaccination line.....

I don't want to deny children an education at all. I want their ignorant parents to do the best thing for them and vaccinate them against life threatening disease.

I don't want to deny children an education at all. I want their ignorant parents to do the best thing for them and vaccinate them against life threatening disease.

By coercion, and ultimately removing the child’s right to state education if the parents don’t do what they are told.

What is the house of laws?

House of lords. I dictate and don't always notice the errors. Thank you so much for pointing them out.

By coercion, and ultimately removing the child’s right to state education if the parents don’t do what they are told.

They will have to home educate their children or send them to an independent school. That seems to work in other countries. I bet the vast majority will just vaccinate though.

The small minority of Children who would not be allowed to attend school due to their own parents stupidity is an unfortunate side effect. But one I personally would be OK with to protect wider society.

It sucks. But it also sucks to have measles or any other preventable disease.

They will have to home educate their children or send them to an independent school. That seems to work in other countries. I bet the vast majority will just vaccinate though.

So you want to deny the poorer families a choice, while the wealthier ones get to retain their autonomy. Nice.

Vaccines are freely available to all in this country.

The anti Vax movement is one of the biggest First world privilege BS to plague this country.

It sucks. But it also sucks to have measles or any other preventable disease.

It would more than suck to give away our right to medical autonomy.

So you want to deny the poorer families a choice, while the wealthier ones get to retain their autonomy. Nice.

I don't want that to happen but it is better than the alternative of children who cannot be vaccinated suffering from diseases such as measles. As