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Italian parents have been warned that sending their unvaccinated child to school could result in costly fines…

Italian schools will now require proof that a child is vaccinated before they will be allowed to attend class. In response to a measles outbreak, Italy has introduced new laws that could see parents fined up to $800 if they send their child to school without the required immunisations news.com.au reports.

Meeting Requirements

Italian parents will need to ensure that their child has received all of the vaccines included on the newly issued list or risk them being banned from school. Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, polio and chickenpox are all required, and children who are unvaccinated can be excluded from preschool and kindergarten, or their parents fined in the case of children ages 6-16. The Italian health minister Giulia Grillo said it is hoped that the new laws, based on scientific data, will reduce the prevalence of common, yet potentially dangerous, diseases. March 13 was set as the deadline for parents to get their child’s vaccines up to date, and Ms Grillo said those who failed to do so will feel the full effect of the law. “Now everyone has had time to catch up,” she said. “No vaccine, no school.”

giuliagrillo (1)

Strength In Numbers

Italy’s current vaccination rate sits at 80%, significantly below the World Health Organisation’s target of 95%, which is the point at which members of the community who can not be vaccinated are protected by ‘herd immunity’. There has been an unprecedented global rise in the number of parents choosing not to immunise their children, and in Australia, the anti-vax movement has gained traction. Byron Bay in northern NSW has one of the highest rates of unvaccinated children in the country, but all that is set to change with a new law taking effect last year, banning children who are not vaccinated from enrolling in preschool.

Non-vaccinating parents say that the NSW law won’t change their minds. “I have a set opinion on vaccinations and that’s not going to change,” mother Katharina Gorka told 7:30. “I don’t think it’s fair.”

Do you think the parents of unvaccinated children should be fined or banned from enrolling in schools? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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  • It was only a matter of time before extreme measures such as these were implemented. With the rise in the anti vaxxers, something needs to be done to bring back vaccines usage

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  • I understand that it’s a parents right wether to immunise or not but ultimately it affects children who could potentially die from these deadly diseases.

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  • Agree wholeheartedly – we need everyone to be vaccinated – we cannot depend on the ‘herd mentality’ any more.

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  • Sad that it’s come to this but a sensible option from the government in my opinion. Unvaccinated children pose a community health risk.

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  • I saw that also in Ontario, Canada, they have a similar policy now. Unvaccinated kids can be suspended from school up to 20 days a year.

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  • I think this is a sensible and reasonable option. All the anti-vaxxers can put their children in one school together… whilst the rest can feel safe and protected in the other schools. I have no problem with this.

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  • This is so bad. When parental choice is taken away in regards to any aspect we have to worry, let it happen for one thing it will be for all things. It’s a serious medical issue one only a parent can make, there could be so many contributing factors to there choice. This is so concerning


    • The choice is not removed from the parent at all.
      The parent has a choice of vaccinate and send my child to school or option 2 dont vaccinate and keep my child home from school. The choice is there and just like everything in life each choice we make has implications.

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  • Most definitely, this should be paramount everywhere.

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  • We should do that hear I am so sick of anti vax scare mongering and mentality.


    • I don’t know where you’re located, but in NSW, it is incredibly difficult to enrol a child in a state school if he/she is not vaccinated, and proof must be provided that the child is vaccinated. Many child care centres and preschools follow the same policy. Although we don’t have fines as such, parents of unvaccinated children can be, and often are, denied Centrelink payments. Even though I think anti-vaxxers are incredibly misinformed, wilfully ignorant and selfish, I do not agree with this, as causing financial hardship to parents with such punitive measures ultimately impacts the children. As neglectful parents brought to the attention of child welfare agencies are often required to attend parenting classes, so should anti-vaxxer parents.

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  • Fair enough I say. If we don’t vaccinate our kids not only are we putting our kids at risk but worse still, we are putting those kids/people who cannot get vaccinated, who don’t have a choice in the matter, in a serious condition. If they got any of those illnesses it could prove fatal. In fact, I have a friend who’s uncle died of chicken pox for that reason.

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  • I’m in complete agreement with the Italian authorities and think 100% the same should apply here. There will be complaints about my comments from anti vaxxers I’m sure and it is a very contentious subject but my opinion is it is parental neglect to not immunise your childre. If you are that against it don’t have kids.

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  • How sad that parents are losing their rights to make their own choices about the health of their own children, many kids will miss out on school and live more isolated lives now. Taking the freedom of health choices is one step towards fascism regimes. Until they change how vaccines are made without toxic chemicals and do research on the health of un-vaccinated children, I will never agree with forcing children to be vaccinated in any form. When I grew up we had only a few vaccines, now it is over 30, children use to get measles for example and it was never an issue, was a common childhood disease, now they make it life threatening? What about all the other threats to children’s safety and health, I could think of many more especially when it comes to the poisons that are in our food, water, the air we breath, the playground where your kids play is sprayed with Gylphosate, and many more that that cause cancer and illness far more than a few so called preventable disease. Build your kids up with natural immunity with fresh healthy wholefoods and less packaged processed junk for a start.

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  • Diseases that had been pretty much been eliminated are now returning due to these irresponsible parents. They obviously don’t care if their children die from something preventable.


    • NO they are not this is a myth. They are not returning at all, look at real statistics not made up ones.

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  • This is difficult because it’s not the child choosing but the child will be having the consequences.

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  • This rule makes a lot of sense

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