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U.S. NEWS Monday 2 SepteMber 2019

Clock is ticking on NY deadline for

student vaccinations

By CAROLYN THOMPSON who will home-school her cases have been among
Associated Press children rather than have unvaccinated people in
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — them vaccinated. She Orthodox Jewish commu-
When New York lawmakers said not everyone has the nities . Resistance to vac-
revoked a religious exemp- means or time to do the cinations remains, despite
tion for mandatory school same.At the private Aurora scientific evidence that
vaccinations, the change Waldorf School in subur- they are both safe and ef-
sent thousands of the ban Buffalo, parents of 21 fective.
state’s parents scrambling students said they would The state Health Depart-
to get their kids shots — or not be attending this fall, ment will audit schools to
get them out of the class- rather than rush to vac- assure compliance with the
room entirely. cinate, said administrator new law and require un- In this March 27, 2019, file photo, a woman receives a measles,
Lawmakers did away with Anna Harp, who oversees vaccinated students with- mumps and rubella vaccine at the Rockland County Health
the exemption in June about 175 students from out a valid medical excuse Department in Pomona, N.Y.
amid the nation’s worst preschool to eighth grade. to leave school, spokes- Associated Press
measles outbreak since “Some families have told woman Jill Montag said. in an email. teachings but rather per-
1992. More than 26,000 chil- us that they plan to home- Schools already submit Before the statewide law sonal beliefs, including that
dren in public and private school, and a few said annual surveys about im- change, the New York City God created people with
schools and day care cen- that they were moving out munization coverage and Health Department closed natural immunity against
ters had previously gone of New York,” Harp said. are subject to spot checks 12 schools that could not diseases.
unvaccinated for religious “Several families have told to confirm their answers. prove students were vac- A literacy coach for Buffalo
reasons, according to the us that they plan to return Schools that violate the cinated following an April Public Schools, she said her
state Health Department. once their children’s immu- rules could face fines. emergency order. full workday will now be fol-
Now time is running short. nizations are up to date.” “We do not anticipate hav- Like many parents, Gentry’s lowed by lessons with her
Unvaccinated students New York became the ing any problems securing view on vaccines does not kids before and after din-
have 14 days from the start fourth state, along with Cal- compliance,” Montag said stem from formal religious ner. q
of school to prove they re- ifornia, Mississippi and West
ceived the first dose of each Virginia, to eliminate reli-
immunization, and they gious and personal-belief
must make appointments exemptions for vaccines.
for the next round within Maine will remove them in
a month. Most schools re- 2021. All states allow medi-
open just after Labor Day. cal exemptions.
Some parents opposed to More than 1,200 cases of
vaccinations are choosing measles have been con-
to pull their kids from school firmed in 30 states this year,
rather than comply. more than three-quarters
“Those that are choosing of them linked to outbreaks
to vaccinate, it’s not be- in New York and New York
cause their beliefs have City, the Centers for Dis-
changed,” said Jina Gen- ease Control reported.
try, a Buffalo mother of four Many of the New York

Maryland: Man

accused of ramming car

into City Hall arrested

TANEYTOWN, Md. (AP) — including second-degree
Police in a Maryland city assault, second-degree
arrested a “disgruntled burglary, reckless driving
resident” accused of in- and malicious destruction
tentionally ramming his car of property. The police
into City Hall and damag- statement doesn’t name
ing the building, the city’s the suspect.
mayor said Sunday. Police said witnesses saw
The driver didn’t injure the the car repeatedly strike
lone Taneytown city em- the building. Wantz said
ployee who was in the during a telephone inter-
building on Friday evening view that the man was an-
when the car plowed into gry because his water ser-
City Hall, Mayor Bradley vice had been shut off for
Wantz said. failing to pay his bill.
The Taneytown Police De- “This was his response to
partment said in a state- that,” the mayor added.
ment posted on its Face- The mayor says City Hall
book page that the driver will remain closed through
was arrested on charges Tuesday.q