Oz: Unvaccinated Kids Can't Enter Preschool, Daycare; $30 K Fines, No "Conscience Exemptions"

[hatrack]

This much is clear: Australia’s strict vaccination laws are working — and they’re set to become even stricter. The state of South Australia has introduced legislation that would ban the enrollment of unvaccinated children in preschool and child care centers. The proposal would set fines of up to 30,000 Australian dollars, or about $24,000, on centers that admit an unvaccinated child. Notably, parents who object to vaccination on philosophical or religious grounds would not receive exemptions.

Colloquially labeled “no jab, no play,” the push follows the approval of similar laws in the states of New South Wales and Victoria. Together, they’re a sign that the authorities may be losing patience with anti-vaccination forces.

“The under-immunization in some communities is of sufficient concern that we do need to raise the bar on what we require parents to do,” said Susan Close, South Australia’s minister for education and child development.

“There will be people who have, without any scientific validity, ideological concerns about immunization,” she added. “I’m not particularly interested in hearing an argument that isn’t based in science.”

EDIT

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/world/australia/vaccination-no-jab-play-pay.html?_r=0

[nycbos]

1. The fact that people wouldn't vaccinate there kids is mind boggling.

[Stryst]

9. In college (a few years ago) I had a campus job in the deans office

Basically assistant work. But during my tenure, I got to listen to the parents complaining about not being able to use on campus day car. The one that stuck in my mind, however, was the pre-veterenary student who claimed that she didn't get her kid vaccinated because she didn't believe in the germ theory of disease transmission. She honestly believed that disease came from sin, and that her child was 'pure'.

She didn't last long.

[3catwoman3]

17. Pre-veterinary? Sheesh! I think she would have had a tough time...

...selling her idea of sin causing diseases to those owned by cats, dogs, and other animals dear to us humans. My cats might be mischievous, but they are not sinners.

Her professors and classmates, had she made it in to vet school, would have laughed her out of the profession. And deservedly so.

[3catwoman3]

2. I like her explanation.

“I’m not particularly interested in hearing an argument that isn’t based in science.”

[sarge43]

6. An explanation that's applicable in many arguments.

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[longship]

4. We can rid the world of both polio and measles.

Neither have a reservoir in other animals, so once nobody is infected, the disease is gone. Like smallpox.

There are many vaccine preventable diseases which beg for such treatment as Australia is doing.

Prominently is HPV, which causes cancer. By vaccinating your kiddies with the HPV vaccine you protect them from fucking cancer. But the idiotic GOP is against the HPV vaccine because HPV is sexually transmitted, and the only authorized GOP-True Christian solution to STDs is abstinence.

Anti-vaxxers utterly suck. Fuck Jenny McCarthy! Fuck Jim Carrey! Fuck Andrew Wakefield! Fuck all of them!

[L. Coyote]

5. They don't tolerate people asserting their ignorance.

[All-In]

7. But jeezus wants my kid to infect dozens

With almost extinct diseases.

Cuz jeezus.

So what if they die.

[jmowreader]

14. But they'll go to heaven!

[Dr Hobbitstein]

8. This is something that needs to be done in the US.

Anti-vaxxers are dangerous, and shouldn't be part of modern society.

[Paka]

10. I say right on!

There is no valid non-scientific reason to not vaccinate. It is not okay to jeopardize everyone else for your own stupidity.

[SunSeeker]

11. Anti-vaxxers are a public menace.

[ehrnst]

12. Data before dogma. (nt)

[kairos12]

15. I would like to borrow that phrase if I may.

[ehrnst]

18. Borrow away! (nt)

[Fritz Walter]

13. Good! I was afraid the "Oz" referred to the TV personality

Let herd-immunity work for those who cannot be vaccinated for sound medical reasons (immuno-compromised), not for parents' stupidity!

[HockeyMom]

16. Easier legislation for children

Not so easy legislation for:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/intense-targeting-of-antivaxxers-misguided-most-undervaccinated-australians-are-adults-experts-say-20170323-gv5do5

It is probably the same for Americans over the age of 18. No jab? No JOB? Let me see your vaccination records, Mr. Smith, before we hire you? As with Australia, simply cannot know how many Adult Americans are unvaccinated/undervaccinated. Have you had a MMR as a child???? Have you gotten your TD, Tdap boosters in adulthood? Forget yearly Flu shots. We KNOW that answer. How do you propose to force compliance, or even knowledge of this?

But of course, if we legislate childhood vaccinations, that is enough for Herd Immunity and to eradicate disease. Ask yourself this question. Are anti-vaxxer parents fully vaccinated themselves? Is passing laws vaccinating their children, going to make them get their own vaccinations?

These laws are simplistic solutions based on what government CAN legislate.

[NickB79]

19. Nice straw man argument there

Still peddling those anti-vax lite arguments you pushed for years in the Health forum, I see.

[sue4e3]

20. I am in no way anti-vax my children were vaccinated completely and on time

but I find that people who take on anti-vaxxer verge on and sometimes lie about the very small and rare more sever reactions to vaccines. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say that there is no risk and it's a lie.There is a risk, incredibly small and rare and it by far does not outweigh the benefit , but it is there. It actually hurts the cause of trying to get parents to vaccinate because these people can read the paperwork given to them by the same doctor who gives their children the shots. In some cases I would go as far as to say that these laws make it easier on some parents because it's not their fault if something goes wrong. It's not that these parents can't see the truth about benefit verses risk . It's that they can't bring themselves to make the decision that could bring harm to the most important people in their lives.If it's a law they don't have to choose

[HockeyMom]

21. It is TRUE

Do your research. You refuse to admit it because there is no legislation for this like for children. Go look up CDC statistics as a start.

Go read the news articles of exactly who is bringing Measles into this country. Only unvaccinated little children can catch and spread measles, mumps, etc?

Maybe you will solve the problem in a generation or two with these laws.

[colsohlibgal]

22. The Risk Is Exceedingly Tiny

I made sure my two children got every vaccine they could get and did not fret a bit about it.

There is some teeny risk in about everything you cannot obsess about it, and with childhood vaccines you protect your kids and the kids they come in contact with.