Measles outbreak: New York City threatens violations violations, closure if unvaccinated students are allowed to attend

WILLIAMSBURG, Brooklyn (WABC) – The New York City Department of Health is threatening Williamsburg yeshivas with violations and a possible closure if unvaccinated students are allowed to attend classes during the current measles outbreak .

The epidemic in the Orthodox Jewish community has risen to 285 since its appearance last October.

In December, the health department ordered yeshivas and early childhood centers serving the Orthodox Jewish community of relevant postal codes in Brooklyn to exclude all unvaccinated students from school or school. the daycare until the outbreak is declared over.

Then, in January, a Williamsburg yeshiva did not respect the exclusion mandate, allowing unvaccinated children to return to school or daycare.

Officials say this yeshiva is connected to more than 40 cases.

Since then, the Department of Health has issued orders from the Commissioner to all Williamsburg Yeshivas that they comply with the mandatory exclusion of unvaccinated children or that they incur offenses punishable by death. 39, fines and possible closure of schools.

Measles is a highly contagious disease and can cause pneumonia, encephalitis and, in rare cases, death. The current epidemic has not killed people and there have been only three measles-related deaths in the past two decades.

The vast majority of cases are children under 18 and 39 adults.

Prior to Passover, the Department of Health urges all New Yorkers, especially those from the Orthodox Jewish community, to be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

Health officials said that people traveling to areas affected by major outbreaks, including in Israel, Europe, northern New York State and other parts of the United States United, should make sure that they and their children are properly vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.

———-
* More Brooklyn News
* Send us a newsletter
* Download the abc7NY app for last minute alerts
* Follow us on YouTube