New York – New York City’s Board of Health has voted to consider the mayor’s plan to resolve a dispute with the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community over a tradition known as Metzitzah B’peh, oral suction circumcision.
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Health officials have linked 17 cases of infant herpes since 2000 to the ancient ritual of sucking blood from the wounds on infants’ penises. Herpes can lead to brain damage or death.
Mayor Bill de Blasio (dih BLAH’-zee-oh) has said circumcisers should no longer be required to obtain signed consent forms. His administration will ask hospitals, obstetricians and pediatricians to distribute information about health risks.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration instituted the consent rule. Rabbis opposed it.
Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Travis Bassett says the “well-meaning rule” has had a polarizing effect and is difficult to implement.
The health board will hold a public comment period.
What a good friendly understandable mayor we have now,
(bloomberg was just a humen-being hater)
Anyone who believes in the germ theory of disease is an apikorus!
A panderer for the Yiddish vote, while our families are being attacked on the streets and subways.
What will be the penalty for a mohel who infects a baby?
The problem is also the new law is mainly self-reporting by the mohel or the family. If they try to cover up the source of infection because of fear of their rabbi or community, the mohel will continue to infect others.
My neighbor’s baby got herpes from the mohel who also gave it to another baby. Both boys were hospitalized and have brain damage. The mohel agreed to stop performing, yet still does! How many more of our boys need to suffer permanent damage??
Where do you think these moyelim get herpes? I KNOW!!!!