Compulsory Vaccinations for Children

[Banjo36]

I put up a previous thread that I've not been able to even see one reply on because it was hidden and then deleted (may be better if the mods open a dialogue with the OP and allow retractions?). The video I was alluding to in the thread, after doing some quick googling, may have been prior to the pandemic in which Matt Hancock was discussing compulsory vaccinations for children (MMR). So, apologies for not checking first...however, the video was simply there to pose the question of whether you'd stand for compulsory vaccination for children? Considering the Health Secretary has previously been in favour of the idea for other vaccines is it beyond the realms of possibility that they won't try it with this vaccine?

No, I don’t agree with compulsory vaccinations, or measures which basically make them compulsory (eg no school unless vaccinated).
DD has had all her jabs up to now (she’s nearly 2), and will have her future ones. I’ve had my first covid vaccine and volunteered to be in the trials so I am in no way anti-vaccine. I just do not agree with this as a policy.

I do not agree with compulsory vaccinations for anyone.

Then it needs to be compulsory for all of them, not just Covid.

They won't be compulsory anyway.

I would prefer not to go down the compulsory route however with children and normal childhood vaccinations, I do support them being required for certain reasons because other kids might be extremely vulnerable and unable to be vaccinated. Parents can choose to home educate and not use childcare if they don't want to vaccinate. Having had a friend whose dc nearly died from complications from measles (she was on chemotherapy, she had been vaccinated as a toddler but subsequent treatment rendered it void) caught from an unvaccinated child at school I have a hard line attitude

1000% no.

All benefits and access to preschool education should be contingent on vaccination. If you did that then lots who don't currently vaccinate would start - basically the vaccine hesitant would just get it done. That would reduce the numbers and then those who are left could be treated as the child abusers that they are. Not vaccinating your children should 100% be a child protection issue. it's neglect.

(of course that wouldn't include those with genuine medical reasons why they can't be vaccinated, but those numbers are small)

This won’t happen. It’s not the way we do things in this country. Especially with the covid vaccines which arguably doesn’t have a huge risk/benefit ratio in favour of giving it to healthy kids.

I am hugely in favour of vaccination of children for completely selfish reasons, it will allow my CEV DC to have a chance of normality and to go to school the lower the spread of covid is within children. However I don't feel mandatory vaccination is the route to go down right now with the covid vaccine.
Do i think the general childhood vaccine programme with the vaccines that have been around for years should be mandatory? No I don't think it should be compulsory to have it but it should be compulsory to have it in order to attend education settings, therefore parents still have a choice not to take the vaccines and therefore homeschool as well.

@sparemonitor I’m going to assume that’s a joke post! Otherwise, do people like you really exist?

[quote Lostinacloud]@sparemonitor I’m going to assume that’s a joke post! Otherwise, do people like you really exist?[/quote]
nope. Not a joke post. Common opinion among HCPs who see the damage that is caused by those who don't vaccinate. In my practice, there is a strong correlation between those who don't vaccinate and those whose kids are known to social services for other reasons. It is neglect, as much as not feeding or clothing your child.

@PurpleDaisies

This won’t happen. It’s not the way we do things in this country. Especially with the covid vaccines which arguably doesn’t have a huge risk/benefit ratio in favour of giving it to healthy kids.

This was my thought initially. These ideas are just not British but, unfortunately, since we copied the Chinese solution to the Pandemic we appear to have through our values out of the window.

I don’t agree with compulsory vaccination for any person of any age with any vaccine.

@sparemonitor

(of course that wouldn't include those with genuine medical reasons why they can't be vaccinated, but those numbers are small)

What are those ‘genuine medical reasons’? You realise that people who find out that their child can’t be vaccinated usually find out because their child or an older sibling reacts badly to a vaccine don’t you?

Bar allergies (confirmed by testing from a reputable source, not what the parent reckons or what is fashionable at the time) then 100% yes.

@Roonerspismed can I suggest you look up the definition of genocide?

I’m in favour of MMR being a prerequisite to access childcare settings/school. My under 1 was exposed to measles in nursery, by another under 1 who got it from an unvaccinated child. Really unfair to to put children at risk like that. If you don’t want to vaccinate your child, fine. But you shouldn’t be able to plonk them in settings with potentially vulnerable children.

I’m in favour of compulsory childhood vaccines. I think it’s appalling parents won’t vaccinate their kids. It’s extremely selfish. I’d really resent my parents if they had been anti-vaxxers & caused me issues catching up with vaccines as an adult.

Covid, I’m on the fence. I’ll be vaccinating my children but I do see the view that they are very new vaccines & those who are quite anxious about health stuff may find that hard to rationalise in their heads.

But neither of the above will happen.

And we have absolutely not copied China’s response to the pandemic. Their lockdown was horrendously strict. People were beaten & physically dragged back to their houses. There was no daily exercise. No school or nursery. No meeting with one friend for exercise. You were literally locked indoors.

@Roonerspismed

It is utterly disgusting and in my opinion, genocide. Young people will die of these vaccines that they do not need.

Appalled by the selfishness on this thread.

Say what? Where is there any suggestions that may happen? There have been cases of children dying because of lack of vaccination from MMR.

No I don’t agree with compulsory vaccination but I do worry that people are making decisions after doing ‘research’ on social media and are therefore not making an informed decision.

What are those ‘genuine medical reasons’? You realise that people who find out that their child can’t be vaccinated usually find out because their child or an older sibling reacts badly to a vaccine don’t you?

Not necessarily - it might be because of a different allergy, or an underlying medical condition which rules out the safe administration of live vaccines.

That a sibling has a reaction does not mean the rest of the DC in the family would react, any more than one DC having an egg allergy means that all will.

I do not support compulsory vaccination, but do encourage measures that nudge people towards it. The Australian policy of restricting some family/child benefits for those who do not vaccinate always struck me as a good one. You could get medical exemptions, and they clamped right down on 'conscience' ones. I wouldn't mind exemptions for genuine Christian Scientist families (as there aren't many of them).

I have no objection whatsoever to the NHS policy of requiring jabs for certain roles (it's been going on since the very inception of the NHS) because I think minimising risks round vulnerable patients and reducing the number of hospital-acquired infections is entirely laudable

Well my DC will have the ‘genuine medical reason’ that I don’t want to swap a 0% risk of serious illness from covid with an unknown risk of a new vaccine to protect them from something they don’t need protecting against (so not like vaccines against known serious childhood illnesses like measles). A vaccine where nobody knows the long term outcome and a vaccine with an ever growing amount of concern surrounding blood clots and heart problems, especially those who are young.

These ideas are just not British but, unfortunately, since we copied the Chinese solution to the Pandemic we appear to have through our values out of the window.

There are all sorts of things from China’s handling of the pandemic we haven’t copied. The strength of their contact tracing and isolation measures for one.

I have zero concern about compulsory vaccination for children here.

“ Not necessarily - it might be because of a different allergy, or an underlying medical condition which rules out the safe administration of live vaccines.

That a sibling has a reaction does not mean the rest of the DC in the family would react, any more than one DC having an egg allergy means that all will. ”

That’s why I said ‘usually’ but again, certain allergies might not be picked up until after vaccination and then the child is kept away from future vaccines that include that ingredient. There is little effort to identify children who can’t/shouldn’t be vaccinated prior to vaccination and many parental concerns irt family history are dismissed until the child reacts badly. Even after a reaction occurs, trying to get it recognised as an adverse reaction to the vaccine rather than a ‘coincidence’ is incredibly difficult.

I don't agree with compulsory vaccinations because people have bodily autonomy. While adults can have restrictions based on vaccine status (e.g. Healthcare), it isn't appropriate for children. A parent who doesn't have the capacity to understand why MMR is important will obviously not have the capability to be an appropriate home educator. I do think there should be much stronger efforts made by GPs or health visitors with those who have not vaccinated with MMR to understand their reasons and to provide whatever reassurance is needed. Measles deaths are tragic yet avoidable, as are rubella miscarriages, so it's extremely important that people don't just say "no" without any follow-up. It may be that the same approach is sensible for 6-in-1. Other jabs like BCG, flu, HPV, covid etc are less important, so additional pressure wouldn't be useful - but I do think flu and BCG should be available to any age wanting it.