The ECHR considers that compulsory vaccination is necessary in a democratic society
This is the first time that the European Court has ruled on compulsory vaccination.
INA FASSBENDER AFP / File
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In the midst of the coronavirus vaccination campaign, a decision by the European Court of Human Rights sweeps away the arguments for anti-vaccines.
Thursday April 8, the judges of the court considered that compulsory vaccination is necessary in a democratic society.
A decision that is a real stone in the anti-vaccine garden.
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With our correspondent in Strasbourg,
Angélique Ferat
Czech parents had appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in six proceedings.
They refused to vaccinate their young children.
They were then excluded from nursery school.
According to these parents, the compulsory vaccination against nine childhood diseases imposed by the Czech Republic violated their privacy.
The European Court of Human Rights has dismissed this claim.
The 17 judges of his upper chamber believe that "
the principle of social solidarity can justify the imposition of vaccination on all
".
In other words, the collective interest takes precedence over the individual.
The court considers that a vaccination policy is legitimate in the face of "the
pressing need to protect individual and public health
".
This is the first time that the European Court has ruled on compulsory vaccination.
If this judgment does not mention the coronavirus epidemic, the decision of the Strasbourg judges could comfort European states when they consider a
vaccination passport
or compulsory vaccination to achieve collective immunity against Covid-19.
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Vaccines
Health and medicine
European Union