Estonia

Vaccination policies

In Estonia, vaccination is not compulsory, but childhood immunization is strongly recommended. The Estonian population is aware of the importance of human rights, medical freedom and how to give informed consent before any medical procedure, including vaccinations. We are witnessing a huge propaganda push in favor of vaccination by the government and the media on a daily basis. State agencies frequently censor comments from people questioning vaccines, and there is no dialogue about vaccine efficacy or safety in the public media.

Doctors who dare to talk about the possible side effects of vaccines are vilified and have their medical association membership canceled and eventually lose their jobs. There is a rigorous quality program for primary care (GP) providers, who receive monetary bonuses for meeting the required vaccination rate. Parents who do not vaccinate are threatened by some general practitioners to report these parents to Child Protective Services for endangering the well-being of children.

If parents do not adhere to the recommended vaccination schedule, primary care physicians require written confirmation not to vaccinate children, and children will not be vaccinated. Vaccine injury awareness, diagnosis, and reporting are taboo for many physicians, state officials, and the media. Therefore, parents do not have enough information and often do not realize that a child's chronic health problems are actually side effects of vaccines. Sadly, vaccine harms are increasing year on year and need wider recognition.

Vaccination for military service is recommended, not mandatory. But in reality, few dare to refuse because vaccines are assumed to be mandatory in the military.

School

There are no requirements for children to be vaccinated in order to enter kindergarten or school. In Estonia, unvaccinated children can attend kindergartens, preschools, kindergartens, schools and universities.

homeschooling

Homeschooling is permitted in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research (art. 23 BGS). According to the Koduōppe ja haiglaōppe tingimused ja kord, adopted and implemented in 2010, there are two types of homeschooling:

• homeschooling resulting from a medical necessity e
• homeschooling resulting from the will of the parents.

In both cases, a parent can request homeschooling by indicating the reasons.

In the first case, the advisory commission makes a recommendation (Regulation, art. 2 (3)), while in the second case the advisory commission expresses its opinion on the matter (art. 2 (3)). 2 (3)), while the actual decision lies with the director of the school. An ordinance of the Ministry of Education, Procedures for home education (83, RTL 2008, 3, 27), establishes the requirements for home education. Parents are required to apply for homeschooling each year at the school where their child is enrolled. The school must subject homeschool students to assessments at least once per semester; if the student's knowledge does not meet the requirements set by the national curriculum, she will have to return to school.

For more information visit the websiteHSLDA.

Vaccination schedule

For more information visit the websiteEcdc.

Recognition and compensation for vaccine injuries

Side effects are mostly ignored and general practitioners say the health problem is due to pure coincidence or faulty genes. Thus, side effects of vaccinations are denied and not reported. There is no compensation law or reparation fund. In rare cases, side effects may be reported by patients or healthcare professionals. According to the law, serious cases of vaccine side effects (deaths and permanent injuries) should be reported to the Estonian Medicines Agency, but few do. https://www.ravimiamet.ee/en/node/12458

Local organizations pro-freedom of choice in the therapeutic field