I lived and practiced home care nursing in New Jersey for many years. It's one of the most regulated states in the U.S. Now, lawmakers in NJ have decided to legislate public health for young children. According to an article in the Associated Press this past weekend, as of next September (2008), all children attending preschool or a licensed day care will have to get an annual flu shot.

Not only that; they'll also need to get a pneumonia shot and a meningitis vaccine. Flu and pneumonia shots are already highly recommended for people who have chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma. The NJ Health Commissioner talked about preschool-aged children's developing immune systems and the rapid spread of infectious diseases in day care situations.

It is believed that the newly-legislated vaccines will help prevent such diseases from being spread in those settings. Parent groups fought the regulations, citing a need to stop government from deciding about medical care, but the law did go through.

The new law was based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups.

Please use the Comments link below to let me know what you think about this. Should the goverment have the right to require such immunizations?