18/05/2022 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Vaccination : donner la priorité aux services de qualité et démystifier les idées reçues
Addressing suboptimal vaccination coverage is a matter of human rights protection and should be a priority for Council of Europe member States, the PACE Social Affairs Committee has stressed. However, it noted “with alarm that the European Region has a higher-than-average percentage of negative opinions on vaccine importance, safety, and effectiveness”.
Following the proposals of the rapporteur, Carmen Leyte (Spain, EPP/CD), the committee called on Council of Europe member States “to take urgent action, and to acknowledge public responsibility for lowering barriers to vaccine uptake”, in full respect of the principles of human rights, democracy and the rule of law." Member States should give “high priority to the prevention of the resurgence of contagious diseases” by developing comprehensive, forward-looking, pro-active and human-rights compliant vaccination strategies, fully respecting the principles of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The rights of individuals should be respected, the parliamentarians said, compulsory vaccination should only be considered as a last resort and the principle of the best interests of the child should be respected in all decisions concerning children and vaccination. Reliable and transparent information on vaccination, "including on contraindications", should be available and accessible and the dissemination of false information "combated through policies, regulations and other relevant measures".