Anti-vax parents in New York have taken to the street to protests in what they term as an infringement of their right to choose if to vaccinate their children or not. The law which has already come into effect allows children who are not fully vaccinated to be sent home.
The law came was enacted in June and according to New York Department of Health, Office of Children and Family Services, and the State Education Department, it does not permit children to stay in school after fourteen (14) days if they cannot prove that they are fully vaccinated. There had been a lot of confusion about how this will be implemented. The lingering question was if the kids would be sent home if the time expired.
That is exactly what has happened with approximately over twenty-six thousand (26,217) expected to be axed by this law. State health officials estimate that the number is from private schools, public schools, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten who had been protected after claiming a religious exemption. The new law which counters anti-vax, however, does not provide that exemption meaning this protected groups of kids will have to be vaccinated to attend school.
Anti-vax belief caused by misinformation
The parents’ argument against vaccinating their kids is the belief that vaccines do not work, they cause autism and make kid’s health system deteriorate. Some, however, is solely due to their religious beliefs. They believe that their children’s immune system is sufficient to handle all the diseases that it may encounter as this is how they are created.
New York health officials have a different, well-informed opinion about this. It has been proven that all these talking points being raised by these parents are based on misinformation. Vaccines work and they can prevent diseases such as measles. Anti-vax believers claim the vaccine cause autism, which is the most widely used argument against the vaccine, has been debunked multiple times.
“Immunizations give children the best protection from serious childhood diseases and the science is crystal clear that vaccines are safe and effective,” the New York Health Department said in a statement. It plans to continue fighting for these children for better health care.
This assurances from the health departments will not, however, persuade the parents to vaccinate their children. They feel that they are being discriminated and have vowed to continue fighting for the rights of their children.
