The D66 proposal, which would allow day care centres to refuse children who have not been vaccinated, has received a majority support from Dutch parliamentarians.

Not vaccinated? No day care!

Such a law would make it possible not only for day care centres to refuse children not participating in the National Immunisation Programme, but also make it possible for parents to choose day care centres where they know that the children are vaccinated and thus where their children will be safe. Some day care centres have already refused children who have not received their vaccinations, but it still unclear as to whether this is legally possible. D66 argues therefore that it should be specifically stated in the law.

According to D66 MP Rens Raemakers, “We’ve been seeing a decreasing vaccination rate in the Netherlands for a number of years. That is especially dangerous for babies, as they can only get vaccinated against extremely contagious diseases like measles when they are 14 months old.” The vaccination rate for measles is now 92,9 percent. Earlier this year, however, there was an outbreak of the disease at a day care centre in The Hague.

What about making vaccinations obligatory?

A report by the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) in June stated that, regarding the immunisation coverage in 2018, the vaccination rate is no longer declining, but it is not yet back to its old level. The World Health Organisation considers a rate of 95 percent safe. Should the vaccination rate fall under a certain level, namely 90 percent, the D66 wants vaccinations to be made obligatory for the whole country. The House of Representatives has its doubts about this plan, though.

VVD MP Sophie Hermans would prefer a third vaccination plan, a hybrid if you will, which would see all children at day care centres being vaccinated if the rate drops below a certain (to be determined) level. So, instead of a national immunisation obligation, only one for children at day care centres.