New York – NYC Issues Summonses To 3 Parents For Not Vaccinating Kids, 4 Schools Shuttered

New York – The Health Department today announced it is issuing three civil summonses, subject to fines, to people who failed to comply with the Commissioner’s Emergency Order mandating measles vaccination.

To stop the spread of measles in New York City, the Health Department on April 9 ordered adults and children ages 6 months and older who live, work or go to school in ZIP codes 11205, 11206, 11211 and 11249 receive a measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine within 48 hours.

If non-compliant, the Health Department announced it would issue a civil summons to those in the affected ZIP codes who had not been vaccinated as of April 12. Any person receiving the summons is entitled to a hearing, and if the hearing officer upholds the summons, a $1,000 penalty will be imposed. Failing to appear at the hearing or respond to the summons will result in a $2,000 fine.

Since the Emergency Order took effect, the Health Department carefully investigated cases with the help of its disease detectives.

Many of the people who were contacts of individuals with measles had proof of vaccination, however the Health Department identified three children who were exposed to the measles but still unvaccinated as of April 12. The cases will go to a hearing where the parent will be fined $1,000 if the violations are upheld.

Additionally, the Health Department is issuing closure orders for four additional school sites. The Health Department is working closely with community leaders to ensure schools and families are complying with the Emergency Orders.

The schools or pre-schools are located at: 68-84 Harrison Ave.; 241 Keap St.; 590 Bedford Ave. and 720 Wythe Ave.

The Health Department also announced that the United Talmudical Academy (UTA), located at 75 Ross Street in Williamsburg, reopened today under Health Department monitoring after it was closed on Tuesday for failing to provide access to vaccination and attendance records.

As of Monday, 329 cases of measles have been confirmed since the outbreak began last October, with 44 additional cases added since last week’s Emergency Order from the Commissioner. Six of the additional 44 cases are newly diagnosed, while the other 38 are recently discovered, but had infection onset prior to the emergency declaration.

Most cases have been reported from Williamsburg and Borough Park, Brooklyn. Five cases, including the initial case of measles, were acquired on a visit to Israel, where a large outbreak of the disease is occurring. Two people contracted measles from the U.K. and one from Ukraine.