Pharmacy Daily | Herd immunity threat

PHARMACIST Ben West has written an open petition letter calling for Minister for Health Peter Dutton to make holding up-todate vaccine records a compulsory requirement for school and childcare entry in Australia. The letter argues that “compulsory vaccination of school age children (barring proven health or religious, not conscientious exemptions) will enormously help the fight towards eradicating, or controlling, many preventable diseases.” The petition cites the recent measles breakout in Victoria due to lack of immunisation uptake. Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies ceo Andrew McCallum said it was a difficult situation but it was to be hoped that education would be the primary source of proving the efficacy of immunisations. He could understand that there was an expectation from parents that risk of exposure to preventable diseases be minimised by vaccination. The Association would adhere to the Children’s Guardian’s requirements that all children in care be vaccinated, he said. The Australian Vaccinationskeptics Network office was closed at time of writing. CLICK HERE to read the letter.

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