That’s their choice – keeping their kids out of school because they don’t want to vaccinate and protect them.
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
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
“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.
The police aren’t keeping this child out of school, her parents and their vaccine choice are.
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.
Folks who know that Amish do indeed vaccinate their kids are likely surprised by the lawsuit…
About That Amish Vaccine Exemption Lawsuit in New York
Wait, what?
The Amish vaccinate their kids?
While many Amish don’t vaccinate according to the recommended CDC schedule and get all vaccines, many do get at least some of them.
For example, when a large measles outbreak went through Amish communities in Ohio, many got in line to get vaccinated and stop the outbreak, which ended up getting at least 383 people sick.
That wasn’t the only outbreak among the Amish though.
“The 1979 outbreak occurred in unvaccinated Amish persons living in Iowa, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Overall, 15 cases of illness caused by wild poliovirus type 1 occurred among U.S. citizens: all 10 paralytic cases occurred among unvaccinated Amish persons; three cases of transient paralysis occurred among unvaccinated Amish persons; and two nonparalytic cases occurred among unvaccinated members of the Mennonite church who were in frequent contact with Amish persons. Epidemiologic and virologic evidence indicated this outbreak resulted from importation of poliovirus from the Netherlands through Canada (Ontario), where outbreaks had occurred during 1978 in members of religious groups with objections to vaccination.”
Poliomyelitis — United States, Canada
It was in 1979.
It was among the Amish.
And many Amish got vaccinated to help eliminate the endemic spread of polio in the United States.
“Immunization campaigns for the Amish are continuing; at least half of the nation’s Amish have now received 1 or more doses of oral poliovirus vaccine.”
Poliomyelitis — United States, Canada
So the Amish are clearly not against vaccines.
In 2004, there was an outbreak of pertussis (345 cases) in an Amish community in Kent County, Delaware.
“Of the 96 households interviewed in which a pertussis case was discovered, a total of 43 (45%) reported not vaccinating any children in their household, 40 (42%) households reported vaccinating at least some children, and 13 (14%) did not provide this information. Of the 43 households not vaccinating children, 19 cited “fear of side effects” as the reason, 13 reported that they “didn’t think about it,” and 11 did not provide specific reasons for nonvaccination. Of the 40 respondents who reported that their children had received vaccinations, 29 (64%) reported vaccination at vaccine clinics set up at Amish homes by DPH nurses.”
Pertussis Outbreak in an Amish Community — Kent County, Delaware, September 2004–February 2005
Although many of the kids weren’t vaccinated, religion didn’t seem to be what drove that decision.
“Religious factors and access to care were not among reasons most reported. “
Kettunen et al on Evaluation of low immunization coverage among the Amish population in rural Ohio.
It is usually fear, rather than religion that keeps the Amish from vaccinating and protecting their kids.
“The findings from the data analysis demonstrated that fear, especially concern over too many recommended immunizations and immunizations overwhelming the child’s system, was the most frequent reported reasons for not having children immunized according to recommendations.”
Kettunen et al on Evaluation of low immunization coverage among the Amish population in rural Ohio.
“The outcome of pregnancy was determined for the 94 Amish mothers who reported illness or had serologic evidence of maternal rubella (Table 1). CRS occurred in 10 infants, all of whom were born to mothers who had histories of rubella-like illness in the first trimester; seven had possible manifestations of CRS; nine were miscarried/stillborn; and 68 infants appeared normal at birth. During the study period, medical personnel identified one additional infant with CRS from Lancaster County whose mother was a conservative Mennonite. “
Congenital Rubella Syndrome Among the Amish — Pennsylvania, 1991-1992
So not only do the Amish get sick, they get sick for the same reason as typical anti-vaxxers – misinformation and fear of vaccines.
Is that what’s driving this lawsuit in New York?
I don’t know, but if it was just about religion, why does it include typical anti-vaccine talking points about:
that unvaccinated children were not responsible for the 2018-19 NYS measles outbreak, going so far as to cite an affidavit from Lawrence Palevsky, who said that “a measles infection in first world countries such as the United States, in 2019, is not deadly.”
that vaccinated children pose more of a risk to other vaccinated children than the unvaccinated
More than anything though, how can the lawsuit say that New York’s vaccine law unreasonably burdens his “sincere religious beliefs without a compelling state interest,” when we know that the Amish aren’t really against vaccinating and protecting their kids?
You have to wonder what method his lawyer’s used to pick their “examples” of schools with religious exemptions.
About that compelling state interest…
As many parents have come to abuse religious exemptions, using them as personal belief exemptions, we have ended up in a situation in which over 30 schools in New York had religious exemptions rates of at least 50%, including 14 schools in which each and every student had a religious exemption for all vaccines.
One common anti-vax talking point is that kids who are unvaccinated can’t spread disease because they aren’t sick. One lawsuit against New York’s new vaccine law went so far as to say that “there has not been one instance of a child with a religious exemption spreading disease in a school.”
Did Assemblymember Colton look for evidence?
Is that true?
I’m guessing it isn’t, but let’s do a little research…
Are Kids With Religious Exemptions Spreading Disease?
Before I considered the latest measles outbreak in New York and how many of those cases occurred in unvaccinated kids in school with religious exemptions, I found a few other examples.
“During April 4-May 17, 1994, the largest U.S. measles outbreak since 1992 occurred among students in two communities that do not routinely accept vaccination. This report summarizes the investigation of and control measures for this outbreak. The outbreak began in a 14-year-old Christian Science high school student who developed a rash on April 4, 2 weeks after skiing in Colorado where a measles outbreak was occurring. The student lived with her family in a community associated with a Christian Science college in Jersey County, Illinois, and commuted approximately 30 miles to a Christian Science boarding school (kindergarten through grade 12 {K-12}) in St. Louis County, Missouri.”
Outbreak of Measles Among Christian Science Students — Missouri and Illinois, 1994
At least 189 people got measles in these communities during this outbreak, including a student in New York.
“Eighteen prospective students from outside St. Louis County attended a carnival at the boarding school on April 16; eight developed measles after returning home (three to Maine, two to California, and one each to Missouri, New York, and Washington).”
Outbreak of Measles Among Christian Science Students — Missouri and Illinois, 1994
During another measles outbreak among Christian Scientists in 1985 in Illinois, there were at least 136 cases, including 3 deaths.
There were even more deaths during a measles outbreak in Philadelphia in 1991.
“According to Assistant Health Commissioner Robert Sharrar, four victims from Philadelphia – two girls 9 years old and two girls 11 and 13 – were affiliated with the Faith Tabernacle Congregation, which shuns medical treatment. The children, who attended the church’s school, had not been vaccinated. “
Back to New York, during a 2009 mumps outbreak in New York and New Jersey, even though many were vaccinated, “the outbreak primarily has affected members of a tradition-observant religious community.”
Are there any other examples?
Four children in Florida with a religious exemption developed measles in 2012 and although they didn’t get anyone at school sick, they did likely expose someone at an Orlando-area theme park who did later get sick.
Also in Florida, in 2013, in a charter school where 84% of kids had religious exemptions, 316 students developed pertussis, with attack rates of 57%!
In another Florida outbreak in 2013, this one at a preschool, attack rates ranged from 23% for kids who were up-to-date on their pertussis vaccinations to 40% if they had fewer than three doses of a pertussis vaccine.
At the Asheville Waldorf School in North Carolina, at least 36 students got sick with chickenpox in 2018. The school had the highest rate of religious exemptions in the state.
And there was an outbreak in Alaska linked to religious exemptions.
“Among the 30 who were not vaccinated, 24 (80%) were eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., aged ≥ 12 months and born on or after January 1, 1957); of the 24 who were eligible to be vaccinated, all 12 school-aged children had religious exemptions, and two of nine children aged 1–4 years were siblings of these unvaccinated schoolchildren. Although no source case was identified, this outbreak coincided with a measles outbreak associated with the Seattle-Tacoma (Washington) airport, the major airport gateway to Juneau.”
Measles Outbreak Among School-Aged Children — Juneau, Alaska, 1996
In 2005, an unvaccinated 22-year-old U.S. college student from Arizona became infected with polio vaccine virus while traveling in Costa Rica in a university-sponsored study-abroad program. She had never been vaccinated because she had a religious exemption.
“The 1979 outbreak occurred in unvaccinated Amish persons living in Iowa, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Overall, 15 cases of illness caused by wild poliovirus type 1 occurred among U.S. citizens: all 10 paralytic cases occurred among unvaccinated Amish persons; three cases of transient paralysis occurred among unvaccinated Amish persons; and two nonparalytic cases occurred among unvaccinated members of the Mennonite church who were in frequent contact with Amish persons. Epidemiologic and virologic evidence indicated this outbreak resulted from importation of poliovirus from the Netherlands through Canada (Ontario), where outbreaks had occurred during 1978 in members of religious groups with objections to vaccination.”
Poliomyelitis — United States, Canada
It was in 1979.
It was among the Amish and may have been linked to religious exemptions, although many Amish got vaccinated to help eliminate the endemic spread of polio in the United States.
Before that, in 1972, there was an outbreak of paralytic polio at Daycroft, a Christian Science boarding school in Greenwich, Connecticut. At least 12 students, all unvaccinated, were affected in the first polio epidemic in the US in seven years.
Also among the Amish, an outbreak of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in 1991, including 16 cases in New York.
“The outcome of pregnancy was determined for the 94 Amish mothers who reported illness or had serologic evidence of maternal rubella (Table 1). CRS occurred in 10 infants, all of whom were born to mothers who had histories of rubella-like illness in the first trimester; seven had possible manifestations of CRS; nine were miscarried/stillborn; and 68 infants appeared normal at birth. During the study period, medical personnel identified one additional infant with CRS from Lancaster County whose mother was a conservative Mennonite. “
Congenital Rubella Syndrome Among the Amish — Pennsylvania, 1991-1992
There have also been cases of tetanus among the Amish.
“In 1997 a 12-year-old Amish boy in Pennsylvania contracted tetanus. His medical bills were $600,000. The Amish community refused to apply for Medicaid because of their religious opposition to accepting government assistance and were able to pay only $60,000 of the bill.”
Some Outbreaks of Vaccine-Preventable Disease in Groups with Religious or Philosophical Exemptions to Vaccination
More recently, the measles outbreaks in New York occurred almost exclusively among completely unvaccinated children, including many school aged children.
“Persons who claim exemptions from immunizations for any reason may be at increased risk of contracting a VPD compared with immunized persons. In addition, persons who claim philosophical and/or religious exemptions (exemptors) may create some risk to the community because unvaccinated or undervaccinated persons may be a source of transmission.”
Salmon et al on Health Consequences of Religious and Philosophical Exemptions From Immunization Laws
Remember diphtheria?
You probably think that it has been a long, long time since a child has died from diphtheria in the United States, especially since we have had an effective vaccine for well over one hundred years.
Well, it has been a long time since anyone who was vaccinated has died…
Tragically, in 1982, a 9-year-old girl died after getting diphtheria at a Christian Science camp in Colorado.
Even more recently, an unvaccinated 4-year-old boy died in Massachusetts died with diphtheria. His mother was a Christian Scientist.
It should be very clear that kids with non-medical exemptions, including religious exemptions, are getting sick and are spreading disease.
We should have acted in 2007, instead of waiting for more and more kids to get sick in outbreaks, as non-medical exemptions to continued to increase.
Increasing in the post-Wakefield era, religious exemptions from immunizations put our kids at risk.
More on Kids With Religious Exemptions Spreading Disease
Why do anti-vax folks think that MRC-5 is the name of an electively aborted baby boy who is an ingredient in vaccines?
Since many think that we have a “moral obligation to protect the life and health” of our children and those around us, what does that make those folks who use propaganda to scare parents away from getting their kids vaccinated and protected.
Of course…
Is MRC-5 the Name of an Electively Aborted Baby Boy?
So what’s the real story?
MRC-5 is a line of human diploid cells that are used to make some vaccines.
“The second human cell line is MRC-5 (Medical Research Council 5) (human, lung, embryonic) (ATCC number CCL-171), with human lung fibroblasts coming from a 14 week male foetus aborted for “psychiatric reasons” from a 27 year old woman in the UK. MRC-5 was prepared and developed by J.P. Jacobs in 1966 (J.P. Jacobs et al, 1970).”
Vatican Statement on Vaccines Derived From Aborted Human Fetuses
And despite what the sign implies, vaccines do not contain aborted fetal tissue or fetal parts.
The original MRC-5 cells aren’t even involved in making vaccines anymore. The cells used today have been copied, over and over again.
They are descendant cells, which is why a common way to explain all of this is to say that vaccines are said to have a “distant association with abortion.”
“It should be obvious that vaccine use in these cases does not contribute directly to the practice of abortion since the reasons for having an abortion are not related to vaccine preparation.”
The Question of Parental Rights and Mandated Vaccinations
And even then, the cells are removed before the final vaccine is produced.
“Many Catholic experts concur that cooperation today is not really possible in an event that was over and done with many years ago. Because the abortion occurred long ago, and for reasons completely unrelated to vaccines, it is untenable to conclude that vaccine recipients today somehow cooperate in the original abortive event.”
