In Germany, the Ministry of Health proposes to crack down on parents who do not vaccinate their child against measles, in order to fight against the global epidemic.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn has proposed imposing a fine on parents who refuse to vaccinate their child to end the measles epidemic raging in his country, in Europe and in the United States.
“The Minister wants to make the measles vaccine compulsory for children enrolled in crèches and schoolchildren, by imposing on parents who refuse to vaccinate their child a fine of up to 2,500 euros and an exclusion from crèche. 95% of the population must be vaccinated against measles to eradicate this highly contagious viral disease. This is our goal.” in a press release.
€2,500 fine
The parent who does not vaccinate his child could risk up to 2,500 euros in fines, five times more than in Italy, where a similar measure has been adopted. Mr. Spahn has the support of many members of the government coalition, medical associations and the WHO. Nevertheless, voices are being raised to defend the individual freedom of anti-vaccines.
In France, public health code (article L3116-4) provides for a six-month prison sentence and a fine of 3750 euros for parents who refuse to have their child vaccinated despite the compulsory nature of the vaccine. The criminal code can give him up to two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros, but in practice, convictions are rare.
In an alarming report released Monday, April 15, the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that measles cases jumped 300% worldwide in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period last year, France also being affected.
No link to autism
Recall that the largest study ever conducted on the subject recently concluded that there is no link between vaccines against childhood diseases such as rubella, measles and mumps and the risk of developing a spectrum disorder. ‘autism. This research had been carried out to break the stubborn myths generated in 1998 by the British doctor Andrew Wakefield who had published a study in the journal The Lancet involving 12 children that linked the MMR vaccine to autism. His colleagues and colleagues had not corroborated the results and it turned out later that the doctor had falsified these data, thereby losing his right to practice.
When it occurs in infants or in people who are fragile or whose immune defenses are weakened, measles can become complicated and require hospitalization. These complications can lead to lifelong pulmonary and neurological sequelae and even lead to death.
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