European court backs mandatory pre-school jabs

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has backed the Czech Republic in its requirement for mandatory pre-school vaccinations.

The case was brought by families who were fined or whose children were refused entry to pre-schools because they had not been vaccinated.

In a landmark ruling, the court found that while the Czech policy interfered with the right to a private life, there was a need to protect public health.

All the cases pre-date the pandemic.

However, the issue of routine childhood vaccinations has come under increasing scrutiny due to the spread of Covid-19.

This is the first ruling from the ECHR on compulsory vaccination against childhood diseases.

The judges backed the Czech legislation by 16 to 1.

"The… measures could be regarded as being 'necessary in a democratic society'" the court said, adding: "The objective has to be that every child is protected against serious diseases, through vaccination or by virtue of herd immunity."

Under the Czech rules, parents are legally obliged to vaccinate their children against a number of childhood diseases unless this is not possible for health reasons.