New York to Consider Ban on Religious Exemptions for Child Vaccinations

NEW YORK (Sputnik) — A proposal has been put forth to ban religious exemptions for immunizations of public schools students in New York State, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said in a statement on Thursday.

“This bill will ensure that every child across the state is properly vaccinated, not just to protect them, but to protect the community around them,” said Dinowitz.

According to the New York Department of Health, at least 285 schools in New York had an immunization rate below 85 percent in 2014.

Moreover, 170 schools had an immunization rate below 70 percent, revealing a widening gap with the US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) 95 percent standard.

“This data is alarming, and it just goes to show that low vaccination rates are a problem across New York State,” Dinowitz added.

Similar legislation was passed in the US state of California on June 30, 2015, despite immense opposition from anti-vaccine advocates.

A growing number of critics of mandatory vaccination are pointing to mounting evidence that many vaccines are unnecessary and unsafe.

The CDC recommends that children receive 69 total doses of various vaccines before the age of 18, compared to only 24 in 1983.

Between 3,000 and 4,5000 severely negative vaccine reactions are reported in the United States annually, according to the CDC.