Proposal to let daycares refuse unvaccinated kids gets majority support

A D66 proposal to allow childcare organizations to refuse children who have not been vaccinated received support from a majority of Dutch parliamentarians. This is necessary "so you as parents can see where you can safely bring your child", D66 MP Rens Raemakers said, RTL Nieuws reports.

Over the past years more and more parents decided not to have their children vaccinated, leading to various outbreaks of measles at daycare centers. After years of decline, the vaccination rate in the Netherlands remained stable last year, the RIVM announced. But parents are still concerned about the safety of their children.

While some childcare organizations have taken action themselves, the majority don't dare refuse children because it is not clear whether this is legally allowed. That is why it should be explicitly stated in the law that childcare organizations can refuse un-vaccinated children, according to the D66. Parents want clarity about this when they sign their child up for daycare, the party said.

The D66 proposal received support from the VVD, CDA, GroenLinks and the PvdA - a majority in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. "It is a good first step to give parents who are concerned the assurance that their child is safe at the daycare", VVD parliamentarian Sophie Hermans said.