Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz announced today he introduced a bill that would eliminate all non-medical exemptions for immunizations for children, giving New York State the strongest immunization law in the country.
Currently, under section 2164 of Title VI of the New York State Public Health Law, all children are required to receive immunizations for poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, diphtheria, rubella, hepatitis B, HiB, and varicella (commonly known as the chicken pox). However, current law also grants an exemption from the immunization requirements for parents who have religious objections to vaccinating their children, as well as a medical exemption should a physician certify that an immunization may be detrimental to a child’s health. The new proposed law would repeal all non-medical exemptions.
“This past winter we were all reminded of the dangers of not vaccinating our children when a measles outbreak that started with just one person in California, made its way across the country, infecting over 141 people,” saidAssemblyman Dinowitz. “While some seem to question the science behind immunizations, the fact is that vaccinations are endorsed by the United States Surgeon General, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a necessary public health measure to ensure the general health and welfare for everybody. When you decide not to vaccinate your children, you’re not just putting them at risk; you’re putting everyone they’ll ever meet at risk.”
According to the CDC, sustaining a high vaccination rate among school children is critical to the prevention of disease outbreaks, including the reestablishment of diseases that have been largely eradicated in the United States, such as measles.
State data from the 2013-14 school year revealed there are at least 285 schools in New York with an immunization rate below 85%, including 170 schools with rates below 70%, well below the CDC’s standard of at least 95% to maintain herd immunity.
“I was shocked to find that in my district alone there are two schools that fail to meet the CDC’s 95% standard for maintaining herd immunity with respect to the measles” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. According to NYC Department of Education data, 5.5% of the students at P.S. 24, and 7.1% of the students at St. Brendan’s School in Norwood are not completely vaccinated. “This data is alarming, and it just goes to show that low vaccination rates are problem across New York State.”
The bill is sponsored in the Senate by Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan). Should the legislation pass, New York would become just the fourth state nationwide to adopt such a strict immunization standard, joining California, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
“Because not every child can be vaccinated for legitimate medical reasons, it is incredibly important that we make sure that every child who can, receive the proper immunizations. This bill will ensure that every child across the state is properly vaccinated, not just to protect them, but to protect the community around them,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz.
