New York City threatens to close yeshivas on unvaccinated children – History

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) – The health department of New York City threatens a fine and possibly closure several Yeshivas in Brooklyn continue to allow unvaccinated children attend classes despite previous warnings caused by a measles epidemic.

Since last fall, nearly 300 people, mostly children, have contracted measles in New York, the majority of them being concentrated in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities of Williamsburg and Borough Park in Brooklyn.

The outbreak began when an unvaccinated child traveled to Israel, where thousands of people were sick, contracted the disease and returned to Brooklyn.

The health commissioner has issued a mandate stating that yeshivas must prevent unvaccinated children from attending school.

"In January, a Williamsburg yeshiva no longer complies with the ministry's exclusion mandate, allowing unvaccinated children to return to school or daycare," the department said. of Health in a press release. "This yeshiva is associated with more than 40 cases, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of measles cases and the continuation of the epidemic."

Health officials have urged New Yorkers to vaccinate their children to stop the measles epidemic, a highly contagious disease that can cause pneumonia, encephalitis and death.

In February, the Department of Health began recommending to medical providers serving the Jewish Orthodox communities of Williamsburg and Borough Park to give an additional dose of MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) children aged 6 months to 11 months.

Health Commissioner Dr Oxiris Barbot said New Yorkers need to know that the MMR vaccine is safe.

"This epidemic is fueled by a small group of anti-vaxxers in these neighborhoods who have spread false false information based on false scientific data," Dr. Barbot said in a statement. "We stand with the majority of the community members who have worked hard to protect their children and those at risk."

Rockland County, New York, is also facing a measles epidemic in its Orthodox Jewish community. The county executive issued a report on March 26 emergency ordinance prohibiting unvaccinated children public spaces. But last week, a judge stopped this order.