Majority think Ontario parents should not have say in vaccinating their children: poll

TORONTO – The majority of Ontarians believe parents should not be able to decide against vaccinating their children, according to a new poll.

A Mainstreet Technologies poll conducted on Feb. 4 reveals 58 per cent of those surveyed don’t believe parents should have a say in whether their children are vaccinated or not.

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The poll of 3,022 respondents also found 77 per cent want child care facilities to refuse unvaccinated children.

The survey comes after six people were diagnosed with the measles in Ontario this week, five in Toronto and one patient in the Niagara Region.

No connections have been discovered among these cases and it’s not known how any of them contracted the virus.

READ MORE: Fifth person diagnosed with measles in Toronto

The incubation period – the time it takes for an exposed person to develop symptoms – is seven to 21 days, though most infections become apparent in 10 to 14 days.

The poll also found 53 per cent agree schools should turn away unvaccinated children and 60 per cent agree serious health impacts loom if children are not vaccinated.

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20 per cent of respondents also agree vaccines could cause autism, 19 per cent neither agree or disagree with the statement.

The Mainstreet Technolgoies poll was conducted by Interactive Voice Response with a margin of error of +/- 1.78 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Mainstreet Technologies – Ontario and Vaccinatons Poll

With a file from The Canadian Press