(Photo: Government of New Brunswick/Twitter)
The New Brunswick government is moving to tighten vaccination rules in schools and daycares.
Proposed changes introduced in the legislature Friday would eliminate non-medical immunization exemptions.
Students would have to provide either proof of immunization or a medical exemption on a form signed by a medical professional.
“Beyond that, there’s no good reason not to have your children vaccinated in 2019,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy.
The move comes amidst a measles outbreak in the Saint John region and a whooping cough outbreak in the Fredericton area.
Cardy admitted there is always the possibility of legal challenges but said the changes are all about protecting kids.
“I don’t see anyone out there clamouring for the human rights of bringing a peanut butter sandwich into a classroom that could kill a student,” he said. “I hope the same thing would apply here because that’s exactly the same thing we’re talking about.”
I’ve listened and read masses of antivaxx material. It’s simply false. I am not interested in wasting time and endangering lives by giving anti-science drivel credibility. It’s BS. Dangerous BS. If you spread it or defend it you’re part of the problem.
— Dominic Cardy (@DominicCardy) May 30, 2019
Cardy has been quite vocal on Twitter about mandatory vaccinations in recent weeks. He said he has received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback from doctors, scientists, and people with immunocompromised children.
“They were getting that message out there and pushing back against the people who are claiming that I’m ultimately an agent of pharmaceutical companies, the CIA or an alien force that is spreading vaccines to damage people’s health in New Brunswick,” Cardy said.
“Vaccines are a safe and proven way to prevent the spread of many diseases, some of which can be life threatening, especially for individuals with compromised immune systems.”
If passed, the new rules would take effect in September of 2021.
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