D66’s proposal to pass a law which would allow childcare centers to refuse unvaccinated children from being admitted has been received with positivity from VVD, CDA, GroenLinks and the PvdA, marking a majority in the House of Representatives.
However, it is still not a law yet. According to the latest figures released by RIVM, the decline in children being vaccinated has stabilized, showing that it may not be necessary to pass such a law.
But according to RTL Nieuws, recent years have shown that there is a decline in the number of parents opting to have their children vaccinated. MP Rens Raemakers says that this law should be passed “so that you as parents can see where you can safely bring your child.”
Daycare centers taking matters into their own hands
Over the last few months, around 100 daycare centers have stated that they will be refusing unvaccinated children. As of May, 2019, 25 of them have already done so. However, we do not know if this is legally possible. D66’s new law would make sifting through murky legal waters easier by making it clear.
They also say that they are doing this so that parents know their child is being left in a safe environment.
Will compulsory vaccination become a law in the Netherlands?
The government has been investigating the pros and cons of passing such a law since the beginning of this year, and whether it would actually help in stabilizing the declining vaccination rates. According to NOS, the government has started making preparations to pass such a law only if the vaccination rate continues to fall.
Currently, the number of vaccinated children in the Netherlands stands at 90.2%, which is lower than the standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at 95%. However, State Secretaries Blokhuis (Public Health) and Van Ark (Social Affairs) will be going on the advice of the report released by the Vermeij Committee.
According to this report, they believe the government should set a legal lower limit for the vaccination rates in the Netherlands (independent of the WHO limits). If the rates drop below this, then passing a law making vaccination obligatory so as to access daycare centers should come into effect.
What do you make of this? Do you think daycare centers should already have the legal right to refuse unvaccinated children? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature Image: James Gathany, Judy Schmidt, USCDCP/Pixnio
