Vaccinations?

Saw this article not too long ago:


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-25/immunise-or-lose-benefits-parents-told/3694236




Parents who do not have their children fully immunised will be stripped of family tax benefits under a scheme announced by the Federal Government.
The Government says 11 per cent of five-year-olds are not immunised and has announced a shake-up of the system which will take effect from July 1 next year.
Under the changes, families who refuse vaccinations face losing up to $2,100 per child in benefits.
Families will need to have their children fully immunised to receive the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A end-of-year supplement.
A new immunisation check will be introduced for one-year-olds to supplement the existing immunisation checks at two and five years of age.


My first thoughts were of the children that are not able to be vaccinated.  Will there be a clause in this that does not discriminate against children that cannot be vaccinated due to other health concerns? What about vaccinations that are not life threatening? 


Children will also be immunised against measles, mumps and rubella earlier, at 18 months instead of the current four years of age.


Has there been any reseach into this dramatic change in the age of immunisations? This isn't something that should be messed with without serious consideration and data to back it up!




Other than that, I have no major opinions on this yet. I have a huge phobia of vaccinations. Blood tests are fine for me, so are tattoos, but the thought of a vaccination (or a drip) sends me into hyperventilation, nausea attacks and high fevers. So I cannot/will not be getting vaccinations in the future myself (there goes my dream of ever going to Africa or Egypt!). However my children will be vaccinated as my hubby has no phobia and is able to take the (eventual) children to get them done. 


I do feel however, that there are MUCH more important issues regarding children that the government should be spending money on. The obesity problem being one, bullying another, and perhaps the state of the education system? Not worrying about who is and who is not vaccinated. 


But for now, I am waiting for the day when needles are not needed to be used when being vaccinated.