New York anti-vaxxers pursue their right to infect the public / Boing Boing

As measles epidemics multiply and multiply in the United States, some New York city anti-vaxxers are suing to block the last-minute emergency measures taken by city leaders to slow down the spread of infectious diseases.

Anti-vaxxers rely on the repetition of the bad science known to lead the day.

Ars Technica:

On Monday, April 15, five unnamed mothers in New York City filed a lawsuit to block the city's compulsory vaccination record in areas affected by a massive measles outbreak since last October.

Municipal health officials announced the order earlier this month, declaring a public health emergency linked to the outbreak, which has left 329 people sick, mostly children. According to the city's order, all unvaccinated persons listed in the postal codes concerned must receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, prove their immunity or benefit from a medical exemption. valid. Offenders could face a $ 1,000 fine.

In the lawsuit, the mothers claimed that the epidemic was not a dangerous epidemic (although the virus could cause serious complications and even death) and that the city's orders were "arbitrary and capricious". In addition, they allege that the MMR vaccine poses significant safety problems (which is false, the adverse effects beyond temporary and temporary discomfort are extremely rare) and that Order violates their religious freedom.

This lawsuit is just the latest example of anti-vaccine parents challenging the legality of public health officials' efforts to fight measles cases – which are piling up at an unprecedented rate across the states. -United. While the mothers filed their complaint Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated the number of measles cases nationwide this year, yielding 555 confirmed cases in 20 states. This increase is largely due to parents in island communities who refuse or fail to vaccinate their children due to misinformation and fear caused by vaccine safety by advocates of anti-vaccine.

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