Unvaccinated NY Students Barred From School Amid Measles Outbreak

As reported by People, a federal judge in New York has ruled not to lift a ban which would have allowed 40 unvaccinated students to return to school. Amidst a county-wide measles outbreak in the US, these students have been barred from going to school for months. The Typical Student team previously wrote US Students Are Confused Because Of VIRAL Anti-Vaccination Topic. 

95% Exclusion Order

According to the Rockland County health commissioner, any county school having less than a 95% vaccination rate must keep its students at home until the end of the measles outbreak. Parents are naturally aren't happy with their kids being barred from school for over 90 days: "Preventing my child from being with his class, his teacher, his classroom has had a significant social and psychological impact." Some parents argued that the county’s 95% percent "exclusion order" should not be applicable to Green Meadow studens, since there have been no measles cases reported.

How Many Measles Cases Have Been Confirmed?

As of March 13, there have been 146 confirmed measles cases in Rockland County. Exprets believe this is due to a significant population of Orthodox Jewish families and others who refuse to vaccinate their children. Out of those 146 cases, 82% of the affected students are unvaccinated. Since 1989, this is the largest measles outbreak is the largest measles outbreak in the state of New York.