A lot of people seem to think that New York’s new vaccine law ended up kicking 26,000 students out of school.
What else do they think?
No medical exceptions? Have they read the new law?
New York’s New Vaccine Law
Of course, none of what these folks believe is true.
Let’s look at a timeline of what did happen in New York.
On June 13, lawmakers in New York passed A02371A, which “Relates to exemptions from vaccinations due to religious beliefs; and repeals certain provisions relating to exemption from vaccination due to religious beliefs.”
And the bill was quickly signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
“Public Health Law 2164 and Section 66-1.4 of the regulations require that a child shall not continue to attend school for more than 14 days (30 days may be granted for children from out of the state or out of the country) unless the school has received a certificate of immunization, documentation that the child is “in process,” or a medical (exemption).”
School Survey Instruction Booklet Questions and Answers
What is not in New York’s new vaccine law?
There are no forced injections.
Everyone still has a choice on whether or not to vaccinate their kids. They simply can no longer to choose to send their intentionally unvaccinated kids to school if they don’t have a valid medical exemption anymore.
What about adults? There are no plans for mandates for most adults, besides maybe the requirements for flu vaccines for some health care providers.
Yeah, but the part about 26,000 kids being kicked out of school must be true, right?
Actually no, it isn’t.
That number is simply the count of kids with religious exemptions in 2017-18, over a year before New York’s new vaccine law went into effect.
But they would all have been kicked out of school if they didn’t get vaccinated, wouldn’t they?
Sure.
“While some parents who had religious exemptions plan to unenroll their kids, more are expected to bring their kids into compliance with the vaccine schedule. Karen LaCelle, a community health nurse with the Tompkins County Health Department, said their vaccine clinic has been busier than usual this summer as kids get caught up with requirements.”
More than 200 kids in Tompkins impacted by New York’s vaccine requirement change
But many did get vaccinated.
“In Saratoga Springs, the district excluded 66 students as of Sept. 20 but that number was down to about 10 students by Oct. 10, according to a district spokeswoman.”
Holding fast to vaccine objections, families grapple with unplanned homeschooling
And stories of kids leaving to be homeschool are few and far between.
“In Schenectady, over 300 students showed up at the start of the school year without all of their vaccines, and more students have joined the district since the start of school without all of the vaccines. But most, if not all, of those students have since fulfilled the vaccine requirements, said district spokeswoman Karen Corona.”
Holding fast to vaccine objections, families grapple with unplanned homeschooling
Anyway, it wasn’t Governor Cuomo or any other politician that would have been keeping these kids out of school.
Parents have the choice to get them vaccinated and protected if they want to keep them in school.
Did New York’s New Vaccine Law Kick 26,000 Students Out of School?
Still, no where near 26,000 kids have been kept from going to school this year in New York because of their new vaccine law.
So how many were affected?
Although no official numbers have been released, it will almost certainly be closer to 260 or 2,600 than 26,000.
It seems that most parents in New York ended up vaccinating and protecting their kids and keeping them in school.
More on New York’s New Vaccine Law
- About That Chickenpox Outbreak in New York
- Did Police Block an Unvaccinated Girl from Getting Into School?
- Who is Rita Palma?
- Will a NY Law Make the HPV Vaccine Mandatory for Daycare?
- About That Amish Vaccine Exemption Lawsuit in New York
- Are the Measles Outbreaks in New York a Hoax?
- Why Are You Still Worried About the MMR Vaccine?
- A Slice of Pie: MMR Edition
- NY Statement on Legislation Removing Non-Medical Exemption from School Vaccination Requirements
- NY School Survey Instruction Booklet Questions and Answers
- NY School Immunization Survey District Level Map: 2018-2019 School Year
- How Far Would You Go to Avoid Vaccinating Your Child?
- Editorial: For the public’s health
- Holding fast to vaccine objections, families grapple with unplanned homeschooling
- More than 200 kids in Tompkins impacted by New York’s vaccine requirement change