Potential Discrimination in New York City’s Measles Public Health Emergency Order
Posted: 6 May 2019
Date Written: April 11, 2019
Abstract
On April 9, 2019, New York City Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot declared a public health emergency requiring measles vaccinations for all residents living in 4 zip codes in Williamsburg and Brooklyn. Persons with valid medical reasons would be exempt from the order. Emergency declarations in New York and other jurisdictions are responding to the worst series of outbreaks of highly-contagious measles in the United States in decades. Within the past 6 months, New York has reported several hundred measles cases mostly among unvaccinated individuals. Reaching “herd immunity” for measles requires a 95% vaccination rate. These orders are purposeful but also legally challenged on grounds of fairness and unequal application.
Keywords: measles, emergency, public health, legal, New York, outbreak, crisis
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