Germany to make measles jabs mandatory for children

GERMANY is to make measles vaccinations compulsory for all children from next year amid concern at the rise in infections.

Angela Merkel’s cabinet agreed yesterday to make vaccinations mandatory at all schools and kindergartens. As school is compulsory in Germany and home schooling is not permitted, parents will be obliged to vaccinate their children. Teachers and staff at schools and kindergartens will also have to be vaccinated.

From March next year, parents who fail to show proof their children have been vaccinated or have a medical condition that exempts them will face fines of up to €2,500 (£2,258).

The move comes after the number of measles infections in Germany tripled to almost 1,000 cases in 2017, with one child dying. More than 400 cases have already been reported this year.

The measles vaccination rate in Germany is 92.9 per cent but has fallen in recent years amid concerns the infectious disease is making a comeback across the developed world as parents refuse to have children vaccinated.

The so-called “anti-vaxxer” movement has seen a growing number of parents refuse to have their children immunised over fears the vaccine may cause autism or other developmental disorders, despite the fact there is no scientific evidence to support this.

In the US, New York City introduced mandatory vaccinations earlier this year, backed by $1,000 (£800) fines.

In Germany, vaccinations were already compulsory in the state of Brandenburg, but the decision has extended it to the entire country. The move must be approved by the German parliament before it becomes law.

Measles used to kill almost 2.6million people a year before modern vaccinations became widespread in the Eighties, and still kills more than 100,000 people a year in the developing world.