KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 – A leading anti-vax figure in Italian politics was hospitalised with chickenpox last week.
Massimiliano Fedriga, a member of the right-wing Northern League party, previously argued against the Lorenzin decree in 2017, which made vaccination compulsory for children before they could attend school.
He had said that he had his own children vaccinated but believed it should not be forced on to people, reports La Vanguardia.
He claimed that making the 12 vaccinations, which include for measles and chickenpox, a mandatory procedure would not convince anti-vaxxers.
He spent four days in the hospital being treated for chickenpox last week.
Prominent microbiologist Roberto Burioni when commenting on Mr. Fedriga’s case on his website MedicalFacts , highlighted the need to discuss about vaccinations in adults.
‘[Mr Fedriga], like many adults, did not get vaccinated… if he had been vaccinated as an adult he would be in perfect health.
‘If he had infected a pregnant woman we would be facing a malformed child or an abortion.
‘The only way we have to avoid such tragedies is to vaccinate us all to prevent the circulation of this dangerous virus, which could have hit a much more vulnerable person.’
Introduced by the Italian government, the Lorenzin decree came into force after an outbreak of measles in 2017. Parents of unvaccinated school children would be fined between RM 464 (100 euros) and RM 2,318 (500 euros).
The law also meant children under six can be sent home from nursery if they are not vaccinated.
Last month, the case for mandatory vaccinations came into the forefront when an eight-year-old cancer survivor was at risk due to unvaccinated children at his school in Rome.