A huge percentage of unvaccinated children against measles in seven schools in the Bay Area

Some private and charter private schools allow most of their children not to have measles, mumps and rubella, and lawmakers say doctors sell false exemptions to anti-vaxxer parents.

Measles is back, after being virtually eradicated, while today's Washington Post tells us that more than 700 people have measles – the highest total in 25 years. San Francisco recently saw its first case of measles since 2013, then two residents of the San Francisco Bay Area caught measles during a robbery in March, and another infected person traveled to the city in March. beginning of April. State. Think of Los Angeles where, according to Friday's New York Times, "more than 700 students and staff" were quarantined at UCLA and Cal State, Los Angeles.

The relative immunity of our region against measles could change rapidly. Today's San Francisco Chronicle reports that more than half of students are not vaccinated in seven schools in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to nationwide vaccination rates published by the Department. of California Public Health.

What emerges from this list is that the two schools in the Bay Area that are the least vaccinated have the word "Waldorf" in their names. Waldorf Schools is a global chain of schools that describe themselves as "holistic" and "spiritual". They are rather known for their denial of vaccines. Indeed, the most unvaccinated school in the Bay Area is the Marin Waldorf School in San Rafael (only 22% vaccinated!), Followed by the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School (29% vaccinated). A number of charter schools in the San Francisco Bay Area primarily include unvaccinated students.

Note that these schools are not typical examples. These DPH data make nearly 300 pages and list thousands of schools, the majority having vaccination rates of the order of 90% and more.

Yes, children must be vaccinated against MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) before starting school. But parents can get a medical exemption, and these medical exemptions have increased dramatically as the fierce science broadcast on YouTube and Facebook has fueled anti-vaxx fervor. There is ample evidence that some of these exemptions are false and doctors "sell medical exemptions to parents".

That's what emerges from a new bill in the state of California, which says some unscrupulous doctors have created a cottage industry by exempting unbridled vaccines to the highest bidder. This bill would put the exemption process in the hands of public health officials, not doctors, and continue to work its way through various committees. Although adopted, it will not come into effect until 2021, but it could be a step in the right direction.

It can be amusing to engage in the stereotype that Marin County's hippie parents lead the measles epidemic, and this is true to some extent. But the New York Times notes that the current epidemic can be attributed to ultra-Orthodox Jewish and Muslim communities, not least because there are still traces of fetal pork and man in vaccines. But conspiracy theories say unscientifically that this is the worst way, and rabbis and religious leaders have almost unanimously approved the use of the vaccine.

If you are not immune or want a booster, the S.F. Public Health Department test has a list of recommended places to get vaccinated in San Francisco.

Related: A woman with measles in the San Francisco Bay Area visits Costco, Dave & Busters [SFist]