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Autism advocates are set to protest tomorrow against a quiet effort by Mayor Michael Bloombergs administration to require annual flu vaccinations for all New York City schoolchildren.
On Wednesday, with just three weeks to go until he leaves office, Mr. Bloombergs controversial Board of Health is set to vote on new rules that would force children as young as six months old to be immunized each year before December 31 if they attend licensed day care or pre-school programs.
Young children have a high risk of developing severe complications from influenza. One-third of children under five in New York City do not receive an annual influenza vaccination, even though the vaccine safely and effectively protects them against influenza illness, the Health Department said in a statement. This mandate will help protect the health of young children, while reducing the spread of influenza in New York City.
The Boards members are all mayoral appointees and controversial initiativesfrom smoking bans to regulations on soda cup sizeshave historically sailed through with little opposition, angering a small, but vocal group of advocates who claim the vaccinations are potentially dangerous.
The Bloomberg administration is wildly exaggerating the benefit of the flu shot and we think they are wildly underestimating the risks involved with it, said John Gilmore, the executive director of the Autism Action Network, speaking more broadly than the controversial claim that links vaccines to autism.
There are risks associated with every medical procedure, he said, citing allergic reactions, toxic mercury used as a preservative and questions as to whether the Boards move is legal given state government jurisdictions...
More:
Protest Planned Over Mandatory Vaccine Requirement in New York | Politicker
» Bloomberg to Force Flu Vaccines for All NYC Children Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!
On Wednesday, with just three weeks to go until he leaves office, Mr. Bloombergs controversial Board of Health is set to vote on new rules that would force children as young as six months old to be immunized each year before December 31 if they attend licensed day care or pre-school programs.
Young children have a high risk of developing severe complications from influenza. One-third of children under five in New York City do not receive an annual influenza vaccination, even though the vaccine safely and effectively protects them against influenza illness, the Health Department said in a statement. This mandate will help protect the health of young children, while reducing the spread of influenza in New York City.
The Boards members are all mayoral appointees and controversial initiativesfrom smoking bans to regulations on soda cup sizeshave historically sailed through with little opposition, angering a small, but vocal group of advocates who claim the vaccinations are potentially dangerous.
The Bloomberg administration is wildly exaggerating the benefit of the flu shot and we think they are wildly underestimating the risks involved with it, said John Gilmore, the executive director of the Autism Action Network, speaking more broadly than the controversial claim that links vaccines to autism.
There are risks associated with every medical procedure, he said, citing allergic reactions, toxic mercury used as a preservative and questions as to whether the Boards move is legal given state government jurisdictions...
More:
Protest Planned Over Mandatory Vaccine Requirement in New York | Politicker
» Bloomberg to Force Flu Vaccines for All NYC Children Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!