Italian politician opposed to mandatory vaccines for children gets chicken pox
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Massimiliano Fedriga, president of the north-eastern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and a member of the Lega party, was hospitalised earlier this month with the highly contagious chicken pox infection.
In what may be described as a case of karma, the Italian politician is opposed making some vaccines for children mandatory. La Repubblica reports that Fedriga was placed under observation for four days.
As president of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Fedriga vehemently opposed the “Lorenzin law,” which made it mandatory for school-aged children to be vaccinated against several diseases including chicken pox, measles, and polio.
Fedriga was heavily criticised by Italian doctors and medical researchers for his views.
The law came into effect last week and will fine parents up to €500 if they send unvaccinated children to school.
Children under six who are in a nursery or kindergarten can be completely turned away under the new law.
The ruling M5S was for a long time opposed to making school vaccination requirements mandatory. Last year, the party threatened to overturn Italy’s vaccination laws but later backed down on the issue.
Italy has seen a surge in the number of a measles case in the country, according to the WHO.
