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Amish Families Pushed to Undo a Vaccine Law. Then Measles Arrived.
The New York Times • • health
Key Points:
- The New York State Health Department has been in a five-year dispute with three Amish schools over vaccination requirements, as the state does not allow religious exemptions.
- Amish families argue that the state's immunization rules infringe on their religious freedom and way of life, while the state insists unvaccinated children must be excluded from classrooms.
- The Amish petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to grant religious exemptions similar to those in most states, following a previous ruling that gave them some hope.
- A recent measles outbreak in Amish communities, with over 100 cases, led Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a statewide health emergency, complicating the legal and public health landscape.
- Despite the outbreak, many Amish view vaccine mandates and government intervention as a greater threat to their community's health and religious practices than measles itself.
