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ECHR rules obligatory vaccination may be necessary

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Thursday that compulsory vaccinations are legal and may be necessary in democratic societies.
The ruling came following the conclusion of a complaint brought to the court by Czech families regarding compulsory jabs for children.
“The measures could be regarded as being ‘necessary in a democratic society’,” the court judgment read.
Although the ruling did not deal directly with COVID-19 vaccines, experts believe it could have implications for vaccination drives against the virus, especially among those who have so far stated a refusal to accept the jab.
This judgment “reinforces the possibility of a compulsory vaccination under conditions of the current COVID-19 epidemic,” Nicolas Hervieu, a legal expert specializing in the ECHR, told AFP news agency.
What was the court ruling about?
The decision said that the compulsory vaccines administered by Czech health authorities were in line with the “best interests” of children.
“The objective has to be that every child is protected against serious diseases, through vaccination or by virtue of herd immunity,” it added.

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