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Measles Outbreak: Was Mandatory School Vax Defeated?
22 Feb
Summary
- School division proposed mandatory measles vaccination in 2018.
- Proposal was overwhelmingly rejected by school boards.
- Parental rights were cited as the main reason for rejection.
A proposal for mandatory measles vaccination in Manitoba schools, put forth by the Brandon School Division in 2018, was overwhelmingly defeated by school boards who cited parental rights as the primary objection. Linda Ross, a Brandon School Division trustee, now questions whether the province's current measles outbreak could have been averted had this policy been enacted.
Ross, who chaired the division at the time, stated that the proposal aimed to mandate immunization for nine illnesses, with medical exemptions available. School officials had been concerned about declining vaccination rates and the increased transmission of preventable diseases in school settings, which bring many people into close proximity.
She expressed that it is unfair to place unvaccinated children, without a medical reason, into public schools, thereby risking the health of others. The discussion resurfaces as Manitoba experiences measles infections not seen in years.
