Fourteen young children in the Eindhoven region contracted the measles. None of them were vaccinated. However, daycare centres are not taking extra measures.
The daycare centres can and won’t refuse unvaccinated children, because in The Netherlands there is no legal obligation to vaccinate children.
Korein, the largest daycare organisation in the Eindhoven region, does offer its employees the opportunity to be vaccinated against measles. Other than that, it’s business as usual. Korein does ask parents whether their children have been vaccinated, but they do not keep a registration. This means they have a general impression, and if they feel that the genral level of vaccination is low, they will contact the GGD* for advice.
Safe
The GGD in the region spoke of an outbreak on Thursday 14th. On Friday March 15th, the Health Service communicated that children can safely go to school or daycare centres in the Eindhoven region, despite the outbreak. “If they have been vaccinated they have the best possible protection anyway”, says GGD-doctor Anke Bens.
“Even unvaccinated children need not be kept at home”, she adds. She does recommend that when unvaccinated children or adults develop symptoms such as high temperatures or a rash, they should stay at home and contact their GP by telephone.
No legal obligation
In The Netherlands there is no legal obligation to be vaccinated. It is therefore unclear whether a child daycare centre can lawfully refuse entry to unvaccinated children. The general consensus has long been that children have a right to go to daycare, whether or not they have been vaccinated.
The interest group of Parents in Daycare (BOinK) disagrees. In a national news programme they urged daycare centres to refuse unvaccinated children. “Because the level of vaccination is getting lower, the question is not if an outbreak is likely to happen, but when it will”, says Gjalt Jellesma, the chairperson of the interest group.
*GGD: Public Health Service
Source: Studio040
