Mandatory vaccines only for nurseries and kindergartens. The line pursued by the education minister, Valeria Fedeli, wins, the one supported by the health minister Beatrice Lorenzin, who pushed for extending the obligation also for enrollment in elementary, middle and high schools (first two years), loses.
Children aged 0 to 6 will therefore be subjected to the vaccinations required by law without ifs and buts, while for elementary schools enrollment is allowed, but failure to get the vaccine will lead to a financial penalty against the parents.
This is what was established by today's Council of Ministers. However, there is another important novelty: the number of mandatory vaccines is being expanded, rising from four to twelve. Also included in this category are measles, mumps, rubella and varicella and the two against meningitis, strain B and C. When enrolling at any institute, ie from 0 to 16 years, the vaccination booklet must be presented.
"Faced with this obligation, we have decided on some measures - said Prime Minister Gentiloni - The goal is to reduce the unprotected segment of the population to a minimum in the coming months and years".
For parents who fail to fulfill their obligations, penalties are envisaged "even 30 times higher than the existing ones".
“It is a decree – continued the Premier – because it was found that the lack of appropriate measures over the years and the spread of anti-scientific theories in recent months which has led to a lowering of protection. No state of emergency but concern to which we want to respond. Decree also because in recent months various positions taken by different regions on this point, we feel the duty and need to give general guidelines ".
