Parents in Germany must now provide proof that their children have been vaccinated against measles before they can enroll in school, according to a new law.

The legislation, which came into effect on Sunday, requires children to have documented proof they have been vaccinated, or schools and nurseries will be obliged to inform local health authorities.

“We tried for many years to get a better rate of vaccination without laws but it hasn’t helped, so this is the last step,” Berlin-based paediatrician Jakob Maske told Al Jazeera. “I don’t know if it will help to make the rates better, but we will see in the next two to three years.”