Zanin suspends SC decrees that exempted vaccines for enrollment in schools

The Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Cristiano Zanin suspended this Thursday (15) decrees from 20 municipalities in Santa Catarina that waived the requirement for a vaccine against Covid-19 for enrollment and re-enrollment in the public education network. Zanin highlighted that the decision, taken on a preliminary basis, is an urgent measure due to the beginning of the school year.

“The need to guarantee children, adolescents, young people and society as a whole the right to health, as provided for in art. 227, of the Constitution of the Republic, imposes such a measure, which, furthermore, should in no way harm another fundamental right, that of education,” he wrote.

The minister highlighted that the Court has already ruled on the constitutionality of vaccination against Covid-19 for children and adolescents. “In the case of vaccination against Covid-19, once included in the National Immunization Plan, the municipal government cannot regulate it in the sense that it is not mandatory, under penalty of disrespecting the distribution of legislative powers”, he highlighted.

The allegation of non-compliance with fundamental precepts (ADPF) was presented by Psol, which questioned the municipal decrees. Zanin stated that “it is important to emphasize that this is not an eminently individual issue, which would affect the decision of each family unit, but rather the general duty of protection that belongs to everyone, especially the State”.

The municipalities affected by the decision are: Joinville, Balneário Camboriú, Içara, Modelo, Presidente Getúlio, Rancho Queimado, Rio do Sul, Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, Saudades, Jaguaruna, Taió, Formosa do Sul, Criciúma, Brusque, Blumenau, Ituporanga, Sombrio , Santa Terezinha do Progresso and São Pedro de Alcântara.