Compulsory Vaccinations Debate

After more than 45,000 confirmed fatalities in the UK, the hope of a coronavirus vaccine is on the horizon. On the 20th July, a study in the Lancet suggested that the University of Oxford’s vaccine is safe and triggers an immune response; the government has already ordered 100 million doses. However, there is an increasing number of “anti-vaxxers” who fear about the safety of vaccines. A YouGov survey found that one in six adults in the UK would “definitely” or “probably” refuse to be vaccinated, threatening the success of herd immunity.

So should routine childhood vaccinations be compulsory? Who should be able to take that decision – the state or parents? What is the best approach to increase support for vaccinations? Take a listen to hear James, Jonty, Joshua and Angelina discussing these questions and more, when debating the motion, “This house believes that routine childhood vaccinations should be compulsory in the UK”.