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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 27 March 2019

County bans unvaccinated minors in public as measles spreads

By MARY ESCH "There will not be law en-
Associated Press forcement or deputy sher-
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A iffs asking for vaccination
county in New York City's records. That is ridiculous,"
northern suburbs declared Day said. "However, par-
a state of emergency ents will be held account-
Tuesday over a measles able if they're found to be
outbreak that has infect- in violation of this emergen-
ed more than 150 people cy declaration."
since last fall, hoping a The county is experiencing
ban against unvaccinated New York state's longest
children in public places measles outbreak since
wakes their parents to the the disease was declared
seriousness of the problem. officially eliminated from
"It's an attention grab, the United States in 2000.
there's no question about Health officials say the best
it," Rockland County Execu- way to stop the disease's
tive Ed Day said at a news spread is a vaccination
conference, noting that he rate in the community of
didn't believe such a dras- 92 to 95 percent. Day said Rockland County Executive Ed Day speaks to the media, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at his New
tic step has ever been tried only 72.9 percent of people City, N.Y., office.
in the U.S. before. under 18 have been vac- Associated Press
Day said he was taking the cinated against measles in
action in hopes of revers- Rockland County, which vaccinated children from the school children, pediat- disease back from other
ing a recent uptick in cas- has more than 300,000 schools regardless of reli- ric organizations expressed countries, such as Israel
es amid disturbing reports residents. Civil rights attor- gious or medical exemp- support for state legislation and Ukraine, where large
that health workers were ney Michael Sussman, who tions violated their constitu- that would allow minors to measles outbreaks are oc-
encountering resistance represents the parents of tional rights. get vaccinated without curring.
when investigating cases. 44 unvaccinated children The outbreak began in the parental consent. There have been 181 con-
Rockland's outbreak has who were barred from a Rockland area when seven The state legislation's firmed cases of measles in
most heavily affected Or- Waldorf School in the coun- unvaccinated travelers di- Democratic sponsors said Brooklyn and Queens since
thodox Jewish communi- ty, said he would discuss a agnosed with measles en- too many parents believe October, most of them in-
ties, in which vaccination possible challenge to the tered the county last Octo- unsupported claims that volving members of the Or-
rates tend to be lower. emergency declaration in ber. There have been 153 vaccines are unsafe and thodox Jewish community,
Under the declaration, a meeting with his clients cases to date, Day said. In cause autism or other con- according to the CDC.
which lasts for at least 30 Tuesday night. the early days of the out- ditions. Day echoed that Day said the emergency or-
days, anyone under 18 who "It's irrational," Sussman said. break, people were coop- message, noting celebri- der was timed with the up-
is not vaccinated against "You're punishing people erating with health officials ties who have spoken out coming religious holidays
measles is barred from who don't have the illness and getting children vacci- against vaccines. of Easter and Passover in
public gathering places, rather than quarantining nated, he said, but that has "If you're going to People mind. "We want people to
including shopping malls, people who are sick." changed. magazine and Jenny Mc- be able to celebrate," he
civic centers, schools, res- Sussman said a quarantine "Our health inspectors have Carthy and Robert De Niro said. "We don't want to see
taurants and even houses of measles patients and been hung up on and told for your medical advice, a repeat of how this out-
of worship. Those in viola- those close to them would not to call again. They've you need to re-evaluate break started when we saw
tion could be charged with quickly stop the disease's been told, 'We're not dis- your life," he said. people gathered together
a misdemeanor punishable spread. cussing this, do not come The Centers for Disease and then fall ill last fall."
by up to six months in jail. This month, a federal judge, back,' when visiting the Control and Prevention The CDC says 15 states
But Day acknowledged citing the "unprecedented homes of infected individu- lists six measles outbreaks, have had at least one
that there will be no con- measles outbreak," de- als as part of their investiga- defined as three or more case of measles confirmed
certed enforcement effort nied the parents' request tions," Day said. "This type of cases, around the country in 2019, for a total of 314
and that the intent is not to let unvaccinated chil- response is unacceptable in 2019, including Rockland cases to date. In 2014, 667
to arrest people but to em- dren return to the Waldorf and frankly irresponsible." County's. The CDC said cases were confirmed na-
phasize the seriousness of School. The lawsuit said the On the same day as the the outbreaks are linked to tionwide and there were
the situation. county's order banning un- federal judge's ruling on travelers who brought the 372 cases in 2018.q