Slovakia

Vaccination policies

In Slovakia, immunization is mandatory against 10 (ten) diseases:

1. diphtheria (from 2-3 months of age, 3 doses, plus boosters from 5 years of age)
2. haemophilus influenzae type B (from 2-3 months of age, 3 doses)
3. hepatitis B (from 2-3 months of age, 3 doses)
4. measles (14 to 17 months of age, 2 doses)
5. mumps (14 to 17 months of age, 2 doses)
6. whooping cough (starting from 2-3 months of age, 3 doses, plus boosters starting from 5 years of age)
7. pneumococcus (from 2-3 months of age, 3 doses)
8. polio (from 2-3 months of age, 3 doses, plus boosters starting from 5 years of age)
9. rubella (from 14-17 months of age, 2 doses)
10. tetanus (starting from 2-3 months of age, 3 doses, plus boosters starting from 5 years of age)

Health workers and students are forced to get the hepatitis B vaccine, while people working in orphanages and aged care facilities are forced to get the flu shot, but many of them ignore it without being fined. Anyone who does not comply with the mandatory vaccination calendar can be fined up to 331,00 euros per parent, regardless of the number of vaccines or unvaccinated children. Some local health authorities have refrained from imposing fines, so in some areas of Slovakia citizens are free to refuse vaccinations without being sanctioned.

It is mandatory for the doctor to give the vaccine information leaflet to the parents before vaccination, but most doctors do not do this. Exemptions are only allowed for medical contraindications, which are very difficult to obtain. Most doctors hesitate to approve a contraindication to vaccination even in cases that are absolutely clear and covered by information leaflets (PIL). Vaccination rates in Slovakia are declining for the fourth consecutive year. Therefore, health authorities are planning to strengthen sanctions for those who refuse the vaccine (for example, no vaccine, no asylum), but this project has not yet entered the legislative process.

No objection to vaccination is accepted, not even the religious one to the abortive cell cultures used in the production process of the MMR vaccine, despite being an officially 70% Catholic country.

School

There are no legal problems for attending any nursery school or grade level in Slovakia, however some nursery school directors do not allow unvaccinated children into their settings and deny them to attend the setting on the grounds of low capacity. Parents can usually find another local preschool that admits unvaccinated children.

homeschooling

Compulsory education is mandatory for children with permanent legal residence in Slovakia.

Homeschooling was officially legalized in 2008 by Education Law No. 245/2008 (§ 23 - § 25 and § 28b).

The Education Act defines homeschooling (referred to as “individual education” in the Act) as an accepted form of education that meets the attendance requirements required of a child.

Homeschooling is permitted under the following conditions:

• For children attending nursery or primary school, based on a letter of request from the child's legal representative (for example, a parent). This only applies to children attending nursery or primary school. Children who are in the last year of compulsory attendance in the first class of a secondary school cannot be home-schooled.
• For children with health conditions, based on a letter of request.
• For children living abroad, based on a letter of request.

For more information visit the websiteHSLDA.

Vaccination schedule

For more information visit the websiteEcdc.

Recognition and compensation for vaccine injuries

According to GDP, less than one adverse event in a thousand is reported following vaccination. Parents are not informed about serious adverse reactions (SARs) by their paediatricians, most paediatricians do not report adverse events, most parents do not know they can self-report adverse vaccine events. The Slovak Medicines Agency refuses to accept reports of some adverse events following vaccination. Report adverse events in Slovakia , promising.

Local organizations pro-freedom of choice in the therapeutic field