Measles outbreak: Brooklyn judge dismisses anti-vaxxer lawsuit against the city
'Irrational skepticism can be harmful' doctor says
A Brooklyn judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of anti-vaxxers against the city on Thursday as the number of confirmed measles cases rose to 359.
“A fireman need not obtain the informed consent of the owner before extinguishing a house fire,” Hon. Lawrence Knipel of Kings County Supreme Court wrote in his ruling. “Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion. It is worthwhile to note that in enacting.”
On April 9, New York City declared a public health emergency, ordering mandatory measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations for residents in parts of Williamsburg as the number of confirmed cases at that time had risen to 285 since Sept. 30.
Since the emergency was announced, 74 additional people have contracted the disease. The outbreak is primarily affecting the Orthodox Jewish community.