Alberta health minister rejects call for mandatory vaccinations
From CalgaryHerald.com
Alberta Health Minister Stephen Mandel has rejected a call from the Alberta Liberals to make vaccinations mandatory for all students.
“We urge parents to immunize their children. We think it’s very important. Immunizations save lives,” Mandel told the legislature Thursday.
“It protects our children, our communities, reduces the burden on our health system, but again we’re not going to mandate it.”
Mandel said school boards can encourage parents to have their children vaccinated, but stressed “it is a parental decision.”
Liberal Leader David Swann pressed the issue for a second straight day in question period, urging the PC government to implement mandatory vaccinations for schoolchildren this fall.
“It sounds to me like the PCs just want to kick the can down the road, perhaps until after an election, but we have an opportunity to require this now,” said Swann, a medical doctor and former medical health officer.
“The only thing lacking is real progressive leadership.”
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