Compulsory Vaccinations in France and Switzerland

[DeirdreB]

I realise that this is likely to be contraversial but here goes...

I have decided based on thorough research, not to vaccinate my children including Diptheria, Polio and Tetanus which I believe are compulsory in France for children wishing to attend Kindergarten and school. Our family is considering moving to Geneva and living in either France or Switzerland in the next couple of years.

If vaccinations are compulsory, this will have significant bearing on our decision to relocate.

Does anyone know if there are exceptions to the rules regarding vaccinations?

Deirdre

PS Please understand that I have my reasons for not vaccinating and have researched the pro and anti vaccination debate before coming to my decision and do not want to debate this on here. Thanks in advance!!

Not compulsory in CH afaik although a paediatrician will be very if you haven't. It is much more of a society based on a sense of personal responsibility. France I think is mroe stringent.

Surely you can make a medical case for not vaxing, though. Can't believe any medics would say absolutely all kids have to be vaxed, regardless of medical susceptibility due to genetic inheritance etc.

I'm sure you can but most paeds I came across are very much of the medicalised treatment and prophylactic persuasion. They do have time to discuuss things more fully than in UK too.

Deidrie

I am not sure you will get many helpful posts really - just lots of and and sniffy references to personal responsibilty.
Although my Paed and my GP think that giving DD any vax would be incredibly stupid there are few recognised medical 'excuses' but you may find a Paed to help depending on your reasoning. My Paed would probably put his recommendations in writing but they may not 'fit' acceptable exemption criteria

I know that most countries with compulsory vac will accept religious waivers.It may be worth looking at that option if it wouldn't bother you to be flexible with the truth about your beliefs. France does provide some ofthe vaccinations seperately which can make the scary combined ones less of a worry if you have a likely vulnerable child.

You may find that someone like Jabs has helpful links if you speak to them.

Oh, well I'd be interested to hear what other people's experiences are as well, OP.

I am going to hide this. Not feeling well and four days at home with poorly children has left me snappy.
sorry

pag I'm not sure if that was aimed at me. By personal repsonsibilty I meant that they recognise you have a right to make decisions for yourself and your children in a way some other cultures do not encourage. If you are an expat they give you the spiel but will happily shrug shoulders if you disagree. Swiss health care tends to be very medicalised (the economy is founded on large pharmaceutical companies and finance) with one of the highest planned c-section rates and lowest homebirth rates in Europe for example.

Sorry you and your dc aren't well

Thank you all for being understanding and for your help / support!! I will carry on investigating the "medical reasons" and religious ones too.

If any one has any experience of not vaccinating in France and what medical conditions were permitted exclusions, I would be very gratefull to hear your experiences.

Looks like Switzerland might be more accomodating!!

Deirdre xx

Don't be too sure, I've a feeling and will find out if you want, that 'local' rather than international schools want to see a record of vaccination before they'll allow your kiddywinkles over the threshold.

Message withdrawn

No one can force you to vaccinate if you do not want to, but you will have problems at school as they ask that the vaccines are up to date. I elected for the single measles vaccine, and that was o.k as the MMR is not a compulsory jab. The earlier ones are ie Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio. The BCG was downgraded from obligatory to recommmended in 2007, although at the time schools were not always aware of the fact. Hope this helps.

LIZS

I wasn't really aiming at you - not really making sense. Tired, dosed up and feeling crappy, I shouldn't have gone anywhere near thecomputer let alone tried to read or type.

Hopefully you have all taken my apology and ignored me

Just checking I have not upset anyone before I get back under the duvet ( DCs now watching a film ...aaahhh )

(really hides thread this time)

no worries, go back to bed .....

Am in France...I was down at the Town Hall today to sort out ds at maternelle...one of the things they asked for was vaccination record. You also have to get statement from doctor stating child is healthy and there is nothing to preclude "community life". The doctor went through all ds injections before she would sign this. You might find it difficult to get doctor to sign this unless good medical reasons for not having them done.

DD is at private school, they asked for form to be filled in re: vaccinations but didn't check anything, she hadn't had one on their list of "recommended" and they haven't said anything. I think private schools would be far more likely to consider exceptions to the rules. Or Switzerland!

Hi Kreecherlivesupstairs,

I would be grateful if you could find out the situation regarding Swiss schools?

Thanks
Deirdre

Hi DeirdreB

My dds go to an International Swiss school, they had to have up-to-date vaccinations and we had to fill in an official Swiss form to this end. The dcs can't start school until this form is submitted - but not sure if you can have 'blanks' on the form or not.

Mmmm sorry this wasn't very helpful - perhaps someone knows more.

Ours are at an international school in France and had to be up to date with all vaccinations, including BCG and we had to get a skin test from the doctor to "prove" that they had been vaccinated and that it had taken.

BCG is no longer compulsory in France since July 2007. It's not looking good for the others, is it? We may have to rethink our career plans!!

Private schools can make their own rules but certainly for my ex charge he needed to have had all the compulsory vacs to access state care. I remember filling out the form for the centre de loisirs and I didn't know of he'd had one of the ones they asked for, couldn't reach either boss at the time and they wouldn't accept him. I had to take him all the way home, check his carnet de sante, take him back with the book and sign the form before they would let me leave him with the other children.

Having said that I'm sure a valid medical exemption would be recognised as a reason for not doing it such as an egg allergy.

Again not very helpful because it's not actually school.

Oh and here (France but DOM) vacs are taken v seriously and BCG is still compulsory but we are in the tropics with a much more ethnically diverse population and closer to TB troublespots.

I know someone who lived in France and didn't vaccinate her children. She said she gave homeopathic 'vaccinations' and was given a certificate for those which she was able to hand in. She said she got impression they were more interested in having a piece of paper than what it actually said - and they weren't fussed what she actually did providing she had a piece of paper. Just one story and I have up idea whether everwhere would be that relaxed .

My DC are in Switzerland (Geneva) in local schools. I do not remember if we had to show vaccination records, I don't think so. I can ask in school on Monday.

and I'll find out from my dd's school on Monday. I am not sure how representative it will be though, she is at an International one, where, frankly they seem to make up their own rules as they go along.
OT, have you really considered what moving to Switzerland entails? We are considered fortunate as we live in the canton with the lowest tax in the country. The rent and health care takes care of what we save. Bloody expensive place to be.

kreecherlivesupstairs,
move is some way off - probably three years - so we still have time to fully assess the impact on family, cost of living etc. I like the idea of living near the mountains and the children growing up speaking French. We have friends who lived in Geneva for a while and close friends who live in France and work in Geneva. I would be very interested in hearing your experiences etc and will definetly be asking more questions on here when we come to assess the "financial viability" of the move!!
D xx