Parents wary of 'compulsory' measles vaccine in schools

Dubai - The vaccine will be given by injection regardless of prior vaccination status or measles disease history.

Thousands of schoolchildren will be vaccinated against measles in a country-wide campaign to curb the deadly disease.
However, a number of parents complained that the Ministry of Health was forcing them to vaccinate their kids.
The vaccination is free and compulsory for children up to 18 years, according to a circular issued to schools in the emirate by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Students will be given the third booster dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) from Nov 1 throughout the current academic year.
The vaccine will be given by injection regardless of prior vaccination status or measles disease history.
Objections
"We are being forced to give our children the MMR again," said a disgruntled mother, Ambreen Khan.
"This will be their third dose and I do not wish my children to be injected with this combined vaccine but as a parent I am not being given the right to say no," she said.
Another parent said that she was confused. "I know that vaccines are linked to autism ... and we are forced to give them to our children," she said.
Several studies done have found no scientific evidence that vaccines are linked to autism.
The health ministry had not commented on the issue till the time of going to press.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com 

• Dubai