Germany mulls fines to boost measles vaccination rates, banning unvaccinated kids from daycare

Germany's health minister is proposing fines for parents of school-age children who haven't been vaccinated for measles.

Minister Jens Spahn told the German weekly Bild am Sonntag that parents who can't prove their children have been vaccinated for the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease should have to pay up to €2 500 (more than R40 000).

In an interview published on Sunday, Spahn said children without measles vaccinations would also be banned from going to daycare facilities to protect those who are too young or medically unable to have the measles vaccinations.

Germany had 203 reported cases of measles in the first 10 weeks of 2019, more than twice as many as in the same period last year but fewer than in 2017.

Neighboring Switzerland last week reported two adult deaths from measles this year.