Minister of Education and Youth, Maxine Henry-Wilson, is imploring parents to ensure that their children are immunised in order for them to be admitted into schools come September.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson said recently that there would be no compromise on the issue of immunisation as it was a legal requirement for entry into all schools.
"An immunisation certificate is required by law and there is no getting around this as it is a public health requirement," she said. "We are dealing with populations of children and we have to ensure that we protect the largest number."
The Education Minister said many parents failed to facilitate the immunisation of their children based on their personal or religious beliefs, and that while the ministry respected their views, "it could not place the rest of the population at risk by admitting children who are not "adequately" or "fully immunised into schools."
She said that, while the Government respected people's religious and other beliefs, "we also have to legislate in the interest of the majority and the interest of the majority says that the child has to be immunised."
Children who receive their vaccines at the various stages of their development are considered to be adequately immunised, and are only considered fully immunised when all vaccines have been given by age six.
