The de Blasio Administration today declared a public health emergency in select zip codes in Williamsburg, following a measles outbreak affecting the Orthodox Jewish community.
As part of the declaration, unvaccinated individuals living in those ZIP codes who may have been exposed to measles will be required to receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in order to protect others in the community and help curtail the ongoing outbreak.
Under the mandatory vaccinations, members of the City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will check the vaccination records of any individual who may have been in contact with infected patients. Those who have not received the MMR vaccine or do not have evidence of immunity may be given a violation and could be fined $1,000.
“There’s no question that vaccines are safe, effective and life-saving,” said Mayor de Blasio. “I urge everyone, especially those in affected areas, to get their MMR vaccines to protect their children, families and communities.”
“Measles is a dangerous, potentially deadly disease that can easily be prevented with vaccine,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “When people choose not to get their children vaccinated, they are putting their children and others – such as pregnant women, people on chemotherapy, and the elderly – at risk of contracting measles. The City has worked aggressively to end this outbreak, and today’s declaration of a public health emergency and new vaccine mandate, in combination with the blanket Commissioner’s Orders for yeshivas, ensures we are using every tool to protect New Yorkers.”
“As a pediatrician, I know the MMR vaccine is safe and effective. This outbreak is being fueled by a small group of anti-vaxxers in these neighborhoods. They have been spreading dangerous misinformation based on fake science,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “We stand with the majority of people in this community who have worked hard to protect their children and those at risk. We’ve seen a large increase in the number of people vaccinated in these neighborhoods, but as Passover approaches, we need to do all we can to ensure more people get the vaccine.”
This public health emergency declaration comes after the NYC Health Department issued Commissioner’s Orders last week to all yeshivas and day care programs serving the Orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, doubling down on their order to exclude unvaccinated students or face violations and possible closure, first announced in December. Now any school out of compliance will immediately be issued a violation and could be subject to closure.
To date, 285 cases have been confirmed since the beginning of the outbreak in October, with many of these new cases being confirmed in the last two months. The vast majority of cases are children under 18 years of age (246 cases), and 39 cases are adults. Most of these measles cases were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated individuals. There have been no deaths associated with this outbreak, although there have been complications, including 21 hospitalizations and five admissions to the intensive care unit.
Measles is a highly contagious disease and can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and death. Measles is easily preventable with the safe and effective MMR vaccine. Newborns, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems cannot get vaccinated, so it is important that everyone around them be vaccinated in order to protect them from contracting the virus and prevent severe complications in these susceptible populations.
While the MMR vaccine is the safest and most effective method of prevent measles, it is only 97 percent effective, so population-wide immunity is a key component to protecting our most at risk New Yorkers from measles. Pregnant women — even if they have received the MMR vaccine — are still at risk of complications including birth defects or loss of pregnancy.
In February, the Department expanded vaccination recommendations for providers serving the Orthodox Jewish community to include an early, extra dose of the MMR vaccine for children between the ages of 6 months to 11 months who live in Williamsburg and Borough Park.
Precautions New Yorkers Should Take
· Measles can be prevented through vaccinations. New Yorkers should call 311 to access a list of facilities that can provide MMR at low or no cost.
· There are large outbreaks of measles in Europe and Israel, as well as in countries in South America, Africa, and Asia. New Yorkers should make sure they have been vaccinated with MMR vaccine before traveling to Europe or Israel. Infants ages 6 to 11 months should also be vaccinated prior to international travel.
· New Yorkers who believe they were exposed to measles or who have symptoms of measles should contact their health care provider before seeking care to prevent exposure to other patients.
· For more information, New Yorkers can visit the Health Department’s Measles page.
NEW YORK DO NOT COMPLY If a “health officer” shows up at your door and demands to check your vaccine records, and threatens that you and your children will be force vaccinated against your will or you will face a $1000 fine, state this: You will take the $1000 fine, but you will also: 1. You will make a legal investigation as to whether a 48 hour notice is within the law to force a medical product or procedure on an unwilling individual. 2. You will make a legal investigation as to whether it is within the law to force… Read more »
Interesting quote from R’ Nachman of Breslev.
“Every parent should have his children vaccinated within the
first three months of life. Failure to do so is tantamount to murder. Even if they live far from the city and have to travel during the great winter cold,they should have the child vaccinated before three months” (Avaneha Barzel p.31 #34).
It is constitutional to force people to do things for the common good. One example is a US Supreme Court case: Jacobson vs Massachusetts. the person was forced to be vaccinated because of the court determined that the freedom of the individual sometimes needs to be subordinate for the common good. An extreme example would be someone who chooses to drive while drunk. While the person has the freedom to become intoxicated he doesn’t have the right to drive which could lead to someone else being hurt or even death. Same thing with a seat belt. People can choose not… Read more »
Regardless if you are a pro-vax or not. It is totally unAmerican to force people to vaccinate.
We Americans have a right to choose. The fact that they need to threatens ppl with fines is against peoples rights as Americans!
As more and more pro vax get hurt unfortunately, the anti vax movement will keep growing. some ppl learn the hard way , and some ppl learn from others mistakes
Forceful tactics always backfire in the end.
Ask your doctor for a blood test to check if you’re immune. Some people need a booster shot
What a joke… stay strong – dont vaccinate. Do you really think they have ur childrens interests in mind? These are the same group against metzitza bepeh – suddenly now all of the frum chasidim are so supportive of their policies. Next they will outlaw metzitza bepeh on the grounds it’s not safe! All this while they promote alternative marriage and rights and legalizing marijuana… dont vaccinate unless absolutely necessary and not until age 3 like comment above!
And no sense in arguing with these antivaxers. They will not listen to any real facts.
I cannot believe someone above still thinks vaccines cause autism! LOL. I thought antivaxers used other excuses now.
Google “herd immunity” and read up on it. The nonsense of “someone who was vaccinated got the illness, so vaccinations are pointless” is exactly that – nonsense. No vaccine is 100% effective, and many people are immunocompromised. The way vaccines work is that when enough of the population gets them, the disease STOPS CIRCULATING and then the percentage of people who are susceptible are safe as well. Measles happens to be the first once-eradicated disease that’s sprung up again, and “pro-diseasers” seem happy enough letting it become a widespread health risk. How happy will you be to let your kids… Read more »
The case of measles in CH the person WAS vaccinated. So vaccinating doesn’t much other than poisons the babies and can develop authism, which of course will be diagnosed not because of vaccines. So you are taking a baby who has a 1 in hundreds of thousands chance of catching measles or maybe one in million, and giving him the chance to be autistic 1/50 in the US. Dr Paul Thomas mentioned above had many cases of authism in his practice for years, Once he CHANGED the vaccine plan which includes no MMR until 3, the number is 0 and… Read more »
Are the non vaxers waiting excitedly for their unvaxed children and non vaxable new born babies to get the Measels? Is that what’s happening? Do you seriously think that getting the Measels is a better option? What about the low or no immunity adults in your family? Are they ready for this illness and the loss of income and sheer misery that comes with it?
Thank G-D for DeBlasio.
I thought the US is a democracy… Thanks for the Mayor for declaring” vaccines are safe” now I will go running vaccinate my kids and myself… What this guy understands about health and vaccines… Watch the documentary “the truth about vaccines” you will see how many DOCTORS are against this poisoning process in babies, and in general against what the state declares to be “safe”. Maybe one day people will see the truth…maybe not…but I will make sure to FOLLOW A SAFE VACCINATING SCHEDULE NOT the state’s one nor every doctor’s one. Check Dr Paul Thomas online. You can continue… Read more »
People have a right to choose not to inject themselves or their children with a slew of harmful substances that are potentially harmful to a person’s long term health and immunity!
which zip codes?
Please ban unvaccinated people from any public place. You ignorant unvaxxers are a menace to society