Furious anti-vax parents are demonstrating against a new law which prohibits unvaccinated children from attending school. This law came into effect on June 13 after the revocation of a religious exemption for mandatory vaccinations. This mandate was enacted in June and the students had 14 days from the start of the school to prove that they received the first dose of vaccines. They are also expected to make the second appointments within a month. According to the official publication by the New York Department of Health, without “sufficient evidence” that the child has received all age-appropriate required vaccines, they will be prohibited from admitting or attending the school.

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14-day period

The 14-days-period for parents to get their children vaccinated started ticking down this week and school officials have started barring students from attending their classes. These students have permission to re-attend only if their guardians get them vaccinated. More than 26,000 childeren have gone unvaccinated for religious reasons in both, public and private schools, as per reports. In many cases, parents have opposed vaccinations and some of them are even choosing to pull their kids from schools rather than complying to the amended law by the Health Department. Parents said that not everyone has the means or time to get their children vaccinated. Some families have also opted for home-school for their kids instead of vaccinating them.  

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Health Department's goal

After one of the worst Measles outbreaks in New York in 25 years, the health department revoked the religious exemptions on vaccines. There were nearly 700 cases of measles which were mainly because of the misinformation of the parents regarding vaccines. The parents believe that such vaccines lead to disorders like autism. However, the state department of health put forth that there is significant scientific evidence that proves that vaccines work and do not cause any disorders. People have spread vaccine misinformation, but immunizations give children the best protection from serious diseases, according to the health department. 

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Parents protests

In spite of the health department backing up their amendment with science, on September 17, a group of parents live-streamed their protests outside the Lloyd Harbor Elementary School in Long Island. The parents demonstrated while waiting to pick their children up from their last day of school until they get the required vaccinations. Parents on the ground expressed that their lives have stopped while everyone else's school life is going on.  

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