The measles outbreaks that have been presented worldwide, caused by a fall in vaccination rates, have been the news of recent months. Some countries have taken various measures, such as imposing mandatory vaccination in childcare centers, to prevent diseases that were already considered eradicated from continuing to reappear.
Just a couple of weeks ago we commented that a state of emergency had been declared in a New York County because of the 153 measles cases that occurred in recent months. Now, the mayor of New York City has also issued a state of emergency and has taken more severe measures: order vaccination in areas affected in Brooklyn by measles outbreak.
At the end of March, Rockland County in New York informed the community that it was officially declared a state of emergency, and that for at least 30 days it would be prohibited the access and the permanence in closed public spaces to the minors who are not vaccinated. However, the order issued by the Rockland County government was revoked by a judge a few days ago.
In Babies and more: Measles death in Jerusalem an unvaccinated 18-month-old baby: the first death from this disease in 15 years Now, Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared a state of emergency in New York City, specifically in Brooklyn borough or county. The reason is the same for which a state of emergency had been declared in Rockland County: measles outbreaks, which as of October 2018 to date, account for almost 300 cases in that city.
According to an order signed by Oxiris Barbot, the New York City Health Commissioner, All persons, children and adults, who live, work or reside in specific postal codes and who have not received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, should be vaccinated against measles, unless they are able to demonstrate their immunity to the disease or demonstrate a medical exception that is satisfactory to the Department of Health.
In case of not fulfilling this order, the adults, parents or guardians of the children, they would be committing a misdemeanor, for which they would be punished with fines of up to $ 1,000 US dollars (approximately 888 euros), or even imprisonment.
In Babies and more WHO lists the anti-vaccine movement as one of the 10 threats to global health in 2019Some time ago, we shared that it was precisely in Brooklyn that the Department of Health had sent letters to the directors of schools in the areas affected by the measles outbreak, in which I ordered them to ask the students who were not vaccinated to remain at home.
