LAWS to give Queensland childcare centres the power to reject non-vaccinated children have received mixed reactions from Redlands mums.
The “no jab, no play” policy will come into effect on January 1, 2016 and will legally protect childcare centres that choose to reject enrolments based on a child’s immunisation status.
The legislation aims to increase the percentage of Queensland children aged five and under that are fully immunised from 91.5 per cent to 95 per cent.
Redlands resident Anna Macnaughtan said “yes please” to vaccination being compulsory for children in childcare.
“It is especially important that older kids are vaccinated so they don't infect babies who are too young to have completed their vaccination series,” she said.
Mandy McGale agreed that childcare centres should have the option to refuse to care for children who are not vaccinated.
“It puts the whole community at risk when there are kids not vaccinated,” she said.
Nikki Crawford said unvaccinated kids should be denied daycare.
“I do the right thing and vaccinate my kids. They don’t deserve to get sick from someone else’s carelessness.”
Mother of four, Desley Bloomer said she is fully supportive of vaccinating kids.
“Maybe some can be exempt due to health or medical reasons, but I don’t agree with the whole religious side of it. All kids should be vaccinated as long as they’re healthy. We need to stop disease and innocent babies, children and adults dying from something that could have been prevented,” Ms Bloomer said.
A mum and childcare worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said children in childcare need to be vaccinated.
“I don't want the risk for me or my children to get sick with those types of diseases. As a mum who has vaccinated her child I'd hate him to catch something he shouldn't get.”
Melissa Devisser agreed with “no vaccine, no daycare”.
“No vaccination then no taxpayer support, no daycare or no being around other kids. These unvaccinated kids get life threatening diseases and end up in hospital and sometimes die and then we are meant to feel sorry for the families (no child should die from a curable disease), but it's not the kids’ fault. I blame the parents.”
Another mum, who asked to remain anonymous, agreed with childcare centres having the right to refuse children.
“Obviously unvaccinated kids are the minority. Parents of vaccinated children should have the right to keep their children safe.
“Maybe there need to be childcare centres that will only take unvaccinated kids. That would be fair for everyone,” she said.
However, Amanda Theodorou said children should be considered on a case by case basis.
“My daughter has juvenile arthritis and isn't able to have live vaccines (MMR) due to the medication she takes. If she is exposed to any of these it is actually deadly to her.
“So, on one hand, I wouldn't want kids around her that aren't vaccinated, but then if she isn't vaccinated because of her disease I wouldn't want her rejected from care,” she said.
Anna Lines said that people’s right to choose should not be taken away.
“I don’t believe it is proven anywhere that unvaccinated children are the ‘culprits’ for passing on these horrific diseases. How many non-vaccinated children pick up these diseases from vaccinated children?”
Ms Lines said she vaccinated her first two children, but was “left holding a limp, extremely ill baby” in her arms after giving vaccinations to her third child.
“I, as her parent, then made my informed choice. It is my right to choose to not vaccinate this child. Should I now be punished? Should my child be punished? Should I risk going against that strong mother’s intuition so I don’t offend society?”
Beth Fishpool, whose son is not vaccinated, said the new policy would make it harder for parents to work or study.
“I have been wondering how I am going to study next year when I may not able to receive any childcare and I have to be on campus for clinical studies. I can’t take my kids with me. Perhaps I just won’t be able to even start studying.”
She asked whether schools would be next and said it left her concerned for the future.
Amanda Bonney also said she did not agree with the law.
“It is nothing but a power play to try and get people to conform. Really, what is it going to achieve? An unvaccinated child will be out of the classroom (most likely resulting in more mothers having to be on government benefits because they can't work). Oh and guess what? That's an unvaccinated child playing with yours in the park or shopping centre or on the plane, and you don't even know it.”
Another mum of two, who asked to remain anonymous, said there was a lack of evidence showing that measures such as ‘no jab no play’ would increase immunisation rates.
“In Australia it is illegal to discriminate against colour of skin, nationality, sexuality and religion. So how can it be legal to pass these bills that clearly discriminate against parents who have made an informed choice not to vaccinate?
She added that she would be forced to stay at home with her children, who would miss out on their early childhood education.
“My family will be in financial hardship, and we will have less to spend on necessities such as health and education.”
Dawn Hogan from Wellington Point Child Care Centre said that nothing would change for their centre.
She said as an ex-nursing sister by trade, she welcomed government getting tougher on people who chose not to vaccinate.
