Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio has said that his 5-Star Movement (M5S) is not against vaccinations but admitted there are some "unhealthy' ideas in circulation about them. He stressed, however, that the M5S did not agree with a law passed by the previous centre-left administration making vaccinations obligatory for school admissions.
"I want to silence some unhealthy ideas against vaccines," Di Maio said in an interview in Monday's Corriere della Sera.
"Ever since I've been political chief (of the M5S), we have never been against them.
"We want them to be done.
"However, we don't look favourably on linking the obligation to school attendance, instead of introducing it when there is a risk of epidemics". The ruling M5S and Northern League parties last week presented a bill making vaccines mandatory only in the event of healthcare emergencies - the so-called "flexible obligation" approached mooted by Health Minister Giulia Grillo.
Some experts and opposition politicians have criticised the plan, saying the point of vaccines is to prevent epidemics. Di Maio added that he had no sympathy for a mother who is in hot water after gloating on social media about falsifying documentation to get around the obligatory vaccinations.
"The mum who boasted about falsifying the self-certification should know that she risks up to two years in jail," he said.
"The law should be applied because you don't play with people's health".
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