Although at the moment they have only said that they are going to study it, in Barcelona they are assessing the possibility of forcing parents to vaccinate your children if they want to qualify for a public square in a children's school in the city, as we read in El Mundo. If this measure is carried out, it would be equivalent to the initiative that is already in force in Australia, where children who do not have their vaccination card up to date cannot opt for a place for kindergarten.
For this reason today we discuss this issue to explain why we think it is very necessary, and more in a time when many children are not vaccinated, at the risk of being infected and contagious: seven reasons in favor of mandatory vaccination to go to daycare.
1. Because in nursery schools it is where they get sick the most
Bearing in mind that viruses and bacteria spread rapidly in nursery schools, it seems sensible to ensure that all members of a group are properly vaccinated and in the best possible state of health. It makes no sense to ask parents for responsibility in this regard: ("if you have a fever or are sick, do not carry it"), and then allow unvaccinated children to be infected and spread to others.
2. Because vaccines are a public health issue
It is true that vaccines are optional for all children, but at the moment when a child becomes part of a public institution as an enrolled student, one of the possible rules could be this, precisely because schooling at those ages is totally Voluntary: if you want to be part, for solidarity towards the rest of the children and babies, you must be vaccinated (vaccines are an act of solidarity towards other children and people who by age, or for other reasons, cannot be vaccinated).
3. Because thanks to vaccines we have a high level of health
It is true that hygiene in general, and also better access to a balanced diet, have helped to greatly improve the health of children and adults. However, they are systematic vaccinations of the population those who have definitely controlled the diseases for which they prevent us.
4. Because vaccines do not protect children 100%
Some parents are defending themselves by arguing that vaccinated children are not at risk, precisely because they are vaccinated. However, this is not true. Vaccines do not protect all vaccinated children, so it is necessary that many children are vaccinated so that those who are well protected can avoid contagion to those who are not. If we vaccinate children with low or no protection we add unvaccinated children, it may be insufficient to prevent disease or an outbreak in the group of children.
5. Because the side effects are usually mild
Vaccines, like any medication, have possible side effects, but in most cases they are mild. In fact, the risk of suffering from any symptoms of the vaccine is lower than the chances of getting sick and suffering complications if no child is vaccinated.
6. Because diseases have not been eradicated
A child can get a serious illness, if not vaccinated, because the diseases have not been eradicated. At present there are many migratory movements, as well as international travel, and the risk of contagion is much greater if there are people without protection.
That child would put at risk other members of his class, educators and other children from the center not vaccinated because they are still small.
7. Because the unvaccinated do not have better health
Although many people argue that it is better not to vaccinate because that way children have better health, we must not forget that, if so, it would be thanks to children who are vaccinated, who protect them from many serious infections. But it is not even proven to be so.
As we have said before, if the parents of all children in a nursery school decided to avoid vaccines, the children would be at significant risk of suffering various outbreaks of more or less important diseases. The final consequence would be that those children in that nursery school would have worse overall health than the children vaccinated from other schools.
We will see how it ends
What they will do in Barcelona is to study the situation, the pros and cons, to make a decision about it. The benefits of vaccines at the population level are beyond doubt. We'll see what happens in the end. I, as a father, would be sure if I were to leave my son along with many other children, and not only for them, but for the risk that the others will infect mine, however much they were vaccinated.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Do unvaccinated children have better health than vaccinated children? The KIGGS study, A world map shows outbreaks of diseases that could be controlled with vaccines, "Life without vaccines": a dangerous book, depending on where you live
