House gives final OK to vaccines decree (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, July 28 - The Lower House on Friday gave final approval to the government's decree making vaccines obligatory for school admission. It passed with with 296 votes in favour, 92 against and 15 abstentions. The legislation makes 10 vaccines obligatory for admission to nursery and elementary schools for children up to six, while four others are strongly recommended.
    Parents who fail to comply face fines of up to 500 euros. The government passed the decree after Italy suffered an upsurge in measles cases amid growing vaccine skepticism.
    "The definitive approval of the decree will raise the level of health protection of Italian families," Premier Paolo Gentiloni said. Some have blamed past statements by members of the 5-Star Movement (M5S) for contributing to the skepticism, which has seen vaccine coverage rates drop.
    The anti-establishment group has denied being against vaccines.
    Veneto Governor Luca Zaia, a member of the Northern League, has said his region intends to challenge the decree at the Constitutional Court.
    "I'm very satisfied," said Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin. "We have made this generation and future generations secure from a series of very serious infectious diseases. "Today we have given our children a protective shield against very serious illnesses that are still with us".