New York Judge lifts ban on unvaccinated minors in public spaces

A state judge ruled against New York County's efforts to stop a massive measles outbreak, saying the county could not ban unvaccinated minors from public places.

The Washington Post reports that on Friday, Judge Rolf Thorsen issued an injunction after ten days of prohibiting Rockland County, finding that unvaccinated children were "allowed to return immediately to their respective schools and to meet otherwise in public places ".

The ban, which came into force last month in the county, was quite controversial and provided for fines and short-term prison sentences for parents who allowed their unvaccinated children to attend schools, parks, centers commercial and other public spaces. But Rockland County is at the heart of a major medical emergency: 167 cases of measles were confirmed Friday, and officials hoped that this extreme step would encourage parents to finally let them suck and vaccinate their children.

The anti-vaxxers reacted pretty much as expected Washington Post:

After the Rockland County ban, anti-vaccination activists compared public health measures to Nazi persecution of Jews, including forcing them to wear yellow stars.

Hm.

Yet for a short time, the ban seemed to work. Last Friday, Ed Day, head of Rockland County, told CNBC that he had received about 500 vaccines since the ban was put in place a few days ago and that he thought he could get a rate of 93% vaccination, the current Rockland rate. 72% – at the end of April.

Thanks to Thorsen's decision following a lawsuit brought by anti-vaxxer parents, this will probably not happen now. "From what I understand now, we have to wait until the situation gets worse," Day told reporters after the announcement of the decision. "Although it may be legally enough, I think it's very misplaced." Congratulations to the disease, the only real winner.