BBC News Updated every minute of every day

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:30 GMT 11:30 UK

This is excellent news.

An unvaccinated child is basically a walking biological weapon, posing a threat to others beside themself. And unlike smokers (the other major group who pose a threat to others), going unprotected is usually the consequence of someone else's decision.

Compulsory vaccination works in other countries and it works for other species (how many boarding catteries will accept a moggy without a vaccination certificate?)

AJ Stiles, Derby, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:29 GMT 11:29 UK

These experts who stand to gain financially from forcing our kids to have MMR shots( they get bonus payments for their practises) are the same experts who used to tell us to have measles parties in order to get all the kids infected and resisted at the same time.
And dont forget these are the same experts who told us Thalidomide was safe, BSE could not jump species, Eggs did not have Salmonella and H5N1 was going to kill us all two years ago.
The push for MMR is financial not practical

Steve Day

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:29 GMT 11:29 UK

Its hard to exaggerate the crassness; the blind authoritarian tone of this proposition. As a scientist, I am in broad agreement that immunisation is a Good Thing. But I am not divinely informed and I allow, in Cromwell's immortal words, " I beseech you think ....... you may be wrong ". We are (still, just ) a Democracy so that means we have to allow for an alternative view of the World. And, in any case, the idea that State Education is free is wrong. We ALL pay for it, even dissenters.

humpty dumpty

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:29 GMT 11:29 UK

Absolutely not, once you start making anything compulsory like this it will open the flood gates for everything. look at the communist countries for an example.

Chris, Ryde

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:29 GMT 11:29 UK

"...as a result there have been measles outbreaks across the country..." So what? Stop getting hysterical over a childhood illness which only a few decades ago was seen as a 'right of passage' when growing up!

I had measles as a child as did my 3 children. We are all now healthy adults. When I had measles at 6yrs and when my children had measles we were looked after properly by our mothers, who kept us home and warm until the illness passed. Maybe today's mothers don't want to do that!

Ruth Edals

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:29 GMT 11:29 UK

Compulsory NO! But I do agree that children should be barred from school if they haven't had the jab.
Statistics show it does better to have it, than no have it. It's that simple.

Risk my children getting measles? No chance!

EARTHWALKER, Plymouth

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:28 GMT 11:28 UK

Suggestions like Sandy Macara's drive me to despair at what our country is coming to.
Any society that considers itself "free" shouldn't enforce medical procedures wholesale on its citizens.
No matter how logical mass vaccination might be it isn't the government's place to impose one.
This matter was caused by government intransigence anyway. They only offered the MMR jab, take it or leave it. Now many opted to leave it the suggestion is to compel it by force. Just who do they think they are?

[FriendlyNemesis], Let's hold this one back until the end and shove it on page 70, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:28 GMT 11:28 UK

It is not only autism that vaccines can be linked to and i am sick of hearing that the only reason parents are concerned is because of a 'discredited study ten years ago'. if your researchers bothered to research other studies that have been done all over the world there are MANY other problems associated with vaccines including the massive rise in auto-immune disorders such as type 1 diabetes, asthma and excema to name a few. No one knows the long term damage of the MMR or if it even works!

jo cooke

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:27 GMT 11:27 UK

No.

Once again, it's our gov. not listening.

Offer the jabs singly and the uptake would be close to 100%.

Haynony Mouse, High Wycombe, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:26 GMT 11:26 UK

Freedom of choice.
If parents are dumb enough to allow their kids to catch the disease and die through it, that's the parents fault.
The parents will regret it when their kids catch the disease, but at least they can be safe in the knowledge that they took no action to prevent their childen from dieing. It's something they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

People need to learn responsibility for their actions, they make a decision and there's a consequence.

richard tomkinson, Ascot

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:26 GMT 11:26 UK

I have two children who have never been vaccinated and have no plans to vaccinate them in the future.

They are both exceptionally bright and healthy. The only illnesses they have had, is the odd cold and a fever (once), and they always recover within a day.

They rarely eat junk, and I ensure they have a healthy balanced diet.

My point? Vaccinating your child is not the only way to protect your child.

There are alternatives that work. Think outside the box.

[sevenoclockshadow], london, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:25 GMT 11:25 UK

While the autism and MMR link have been quite conclusively debunked there are many risks assosiated with any vaccine.

The main one is that the culture is almost always in eggs which means those with a range of allergies are not able to have a large number of the vaccies produced today. The immediate conclusion from this is that 100% take it or stay out is actually impossible due to medical complications.

MEmeme, Here

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:25 GMT 11:25 UK

Childrens immune systems do not mature until they are nearly in their teens. So what do you think can happen if you dump three (possibly 4 soon) infections into under developed immune systems at once ?. It makes sense to give them the shots one at a time to allow the young bodies to cope, but instead doctors push MMR because they get bonus payments from the NHS for higher innoculation rates.Adult humans dont normally get attacked by three infections at once so how can our kids bodies cope?

Steve Day

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:25 GMT 11:25 UK

Fact, in 21st century, we in UK live longer & are free from most serious diseases & are generally more healthier, except smokers/obese people/heavy drinkers & those who refuse medication, who cost our nation £billions in unaffordable healthcare.

In the past people were doubtful of much which is now taken for granted.

Modern Britain now demands the right to suffer unnecessarily, people demand the right for themselves & children to become seriously ill and cross contaminate innocent others.

[MrWonderfulReality]

Added: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 10:25 GMT 11:25 UK

As parent's we are expected to look after our children and keep them safe. With this in mind we also have the right to decide whether such injuections are safe for our children. This jab and any other jabs cannot and should not be made compulsary and this suggestion is absolutely why we need a new government.

sam thorn, basingstoke