In what can only be described as unprecedented, over five hundred doctors representing numerous Jewish communities across North America , signed a letter confirming the need for all children and healthy adults to get immunized according to the CDC schedule.
This mass declaration by medical professionals , likely the first of its kind addressing the broad Orthodox Jewish communities nationally, directly and starkly calls out the dangerous falsehoods being spread by so called anti- vaxxers.
The message reads,”We are aware of the dangerous misinformation campaign being spread and reject any unproven unscientific statements that contradict all available current science-based studies on vaccinations.”
What makes the statement that much more important is that it comes at a time when Jewish communities are battling not only the potential for a measles outbreak in their own backyards, but also the false perception that Orthodox Jews do not vaccinate.
Indeed, statistics issued by the NYS and NYC Health departments confirm that in fact the overwhelming majority of Orthodox Jewish children are vaccinated, and the doctors in this letter are clearly aiming their unequivocal recommendations to the small percentage of people who have refused to inoculate themselves and their children from dreaded illnesses like measles, mumps, rubella and other diseases, at the expense of the larger community.
The letter is signed by recognized and trusted physicians from literally every medical specialty from various states including; New York, New Jersey, California, Florida,Texas, Arizona, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Wisconsin as well as Toronto and Montreal, calling on individuals and Jewish communities to work together to “prevent harmful diseases from spreading.”
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, MD, a clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a highly respected physician and Rabbi in Long Island, was asked why he felt it was important to be one of the original co-sponsors of this unprecedented effort and why over five hundred of his medical colleagues signed onto such a public declaration. Rabbi Glatt replied, “it is critically important for the Jewish world to know that the greatest poskim from all branches of Orthodox Jewry, as well as the greatest physicians (both number and quality) are in full agreement as to the Pikuach Nefashos imperative regarding measles vaccination.”
Doctors and Askonim are also increasing efforts to inform adults in the wider community to check their own existing immunity levels, because many adults are under the impression that they are properly protected when in reality their childhood immunization may no longer be effective due to a wearing off of the vaccine. Doctors are fearful that this is a potential danger to thousands of unsuspecting individuals.
“With the measles outbreak now hitting communities like Detroit, and Baltimore and still very active in Rockland County and Brooklyn, the need to protect ourselves and each other has become of paramount concern,” said Dr. Edward Bennett a popular emergency medicine physician from Queens and an original sponsor of the letter.
Dr. Bennett continued, “people think they are in the clear because they were vaccinated as children but unfortunately we are seeing numerous cases of healthy adults born in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s who are now taking their titers test, a blood test to measure immunity, and coming back with negative immunity to one or more of the diseases. This requires an immediate booster shot.
Bennett concluded, “checking your titers is something everyone can easily do and should be an immediate priority, especially if you are traveling.”
One prominent pediatrician, who asked not to be named for fear of harassment by extremist anti-vaxxers, said “it is clear that the tide is now turning and after this public declaration letter, no longer will fringe elements be able to freely dismiss the peer reviewed and universally accepted positions of renowned medical experts in our own community. People should pay attention to the trusted medical professionals they have always turned to in times of medical crisis.”
TLS has learned that The Doctors declaration is being featured in a mass public information campaign with the participation of numerous media outlets and includes the launching of a new website www.DRSFORVAAX.ORG that will provide viewers with an expanded Doctors list, location, credentials, specialties and updated and timely information on immunization.
THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE CDC:
Q: I’ve been exposed to someone who has measles. What should I do?
A: Immediately call your doctor and let him or her know that you have been exposed to someone who has measles. Your doctor can determine if you are immune to measles based on your vaccination record, age, or laboratory evidence, and make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.
If you are not immune to measles, MMR vaccine or a medicine called immune globulin may help reduce your risk developing measles. Your doctor can help to advise you, and monitor you for signs and symptoms of measles.
If you do not get MMR or immune globulin, you should stay away from settings where there are susceptible people (such as school, hospital, or childcare) until your doctor says it’s okay to return. This will help ensure that you do not spread it to others.
Q: Am I protected against measles?
A: CDC considers you protected from measles if you have written documentation (records) showing at least one of the following:
You received two doses of measles-containing vaccine, and you are a(n)—
* school-aged child (grades K-12)
* adult who will be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission, including students at post-high school education institutions, healthcare personnel, and international travelers.
You received one dose of measles-containing vaccine, and you are a(n)—
* preschool-aged child
* adult who will not be in a high-risk setting for measles transmission.
A laboratory confirmed that you had measles at some point in your life.
A laboratory confirmed that you are immune to measles.
You were born before 1957.
Q: What should I do if I’m unsure whether I’m immune to measles?
A: If you’re unsure whether you’re immune to measles, you should first try to find your vaccination records or documentation of measles immunity. If you do not have written documentation of measles immunity, you should get vaccinated with measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Another option is to have a doctor test your blood to determine whether you’re immune. But this option is likely to cost more and will take two doctor’s visits. There is no harm in getting another dose of MMR vaccine if you may already be immune to measles (or mumps or rubella).
It’s sad that the Chabad community is being blinded by the pressure from the cdc. Which has been proven to manipulate facts and data to increase sales for pharmaceutical companies. How many people need to die and be harmed from vaccines until people will recognize the truth of vaccines. When people just follow what they are told without knowing, disaster will strike. When government controls everything and rights are taken away. You will have another holocaust or worse.
…how many people will need to die from previously ERADICATED diseases before you start vaccinating your child? Even if 1 in 1,000 people has an allergic reaction to a vaccine – and 1 in 1,000,000 dies from a vaccine – that is NOTHING compared to the death, destruction, and crippling caused by the diseases these vaccines PREVENT. Your view is horrifying. Do you know how many children and adults needed to be placed in “iron lungs” during polio outbreaks? How many were killed, or crippled for life? Is it time to buy stock in iron lungs again? My great-grandfather lost… Read more »
It’s important not to lump all vaccines together and treat each one separately. Let’s talk about measles vs the MMR. The truth is, bottom line, the absolute risk is probably very low from either – though the risk from disease is more known. The measles is not the Spanish flu, or polio. It was a common childhood disease that 100% of kids got by age 15 before vaccine was introduced in 1963 in US. In other developed countries the vaccine was introduced much later, because the need was very much questioned. The fatality rate in the 10 years prior to… Read more »
“The fatality rate in the 10 years prior to vaccine introduction was about 1/10,000”
Today with good medicine the fatality rate is about 1/1000 to 1/2000. Israel has had about 3400 cases of measles in the year, and has had 2 deaths. That is 1 death in 1600.
Where are you getting your numbers from? Some antivaxxer website on the internet?
This lie has been posted in another measles thread here. I WAS BORN IN 1948 AND I NEVER GOT MEASLES. I was required by an employer to get the vaccine at approximately age 50.
The diseases where on a steady down well before the vaccines for the diseases came out please do your home work.
Clearly science is behind with this. Since when is science the ultimate? It’s a work in progress. If someone’s child became autistic or other bad reaction within hours of a vaccine, they don’t need science or doctors to tell them there’s no link. They’ve seen it and experienced it. So when countless families are reporting negative side effects, and they’re reactions are being ignored than obviously these researchers are picking and choosing which data they’d like to include. Some of us actually believe real life over ‘science’. And btw.i do vaccinate but fully support the right to choose, and the… Read more »
There actually is plenty of science which gives a more nuanced view on vaccine risks and benefits, if not the majority of evidence beginning to be available now. The issue isn’t a problem with science per se, rather with the way medicine is administered in the US today. Most low level doctors like pediatricians, known next to nothing about this, have not studied anything about vaccines in medical school more than how to give one and to memorize the schedule. They were not taught about reactions, the mechanisms much of which is still unknown, how to report an injury etc.… Read more »
> If someone’s child became autistic or other bad reaction within hours of a vaccine, they don’t need science or doctors to tell them there’s no link. Autism? Seriously? NO CHILD HAS EVER “BECOME AUTISTIC” WITHIN HOURS OF A VACCINE. Autism is hard to diagnose before 24 months, symptoms often surface between 12 and 18 months. And, yes, that is when most babies get vaccinated. It is also when they are learning to walk, talk, and eat a variety of foods. By your “logic” any of those could be the autism link. Before you spout dangerous nonsense, understand the difference… Read more »
Its funny that most people who wish to vaccinate their kids have no idea what in actually in the shots but those who choose not to know very well what is in them.
So since you don’t know them they don’t exist? Yes, many children within hours or days have changed or reacted negatively, and some permanently. If you don’t personally know any, thank Hashem that your family isn’t prone but unfortunately not everyone is so lucky, and to declare it never happened makes their pain all the greater. Let’s open our eyes and realize that some people are suffering from vaccines and there is another side to this. And do we honestly expect the researchers who are part of the pharmaceutical companies, after years of vouching for it’s safety, to come out… Read more »
I’m not sure about all the science behind it but I do know that lots and lots of money is behind all this.
People die and are harmed by measles and other such diseases at far greater rates than from vaccinations. You are the one who’s blinded by junk science, and your attitude is what’s brought about the current measles outbreak. And it is an utter chutzpah for you to use the deaths of Jews al kiddush Hashem in the Holocaust to push your agenda.
Stop getting *facts* from Facebook, memes, long debunked myths, random “experts”, and anyone without a science and medical background. You’re hurting innocent victims!
Its funny that most people who wish to vaccinate their kids have no idea what in actually in the shots but those who choose not to know very well what is in them.
How many people need to die and be harmed from *measles and other vaccine preventable diseases* until people will recognize the truth of vaccines.
FTFY
If vaccines “prevent””diseases how do my unvaccsed kids harm yours?
Really? Pithy one liners? Ok, I’ll bite … Because there are kids and those with compromised immune systems who can’t be vaccinated and who would be at great risk if infected.
Because with some children who have been vaccinated, the immunity don’t “take” in their body and they are therefore not fully protected. These kids need to rely on the herd protection of their peers who have been vaccinated and are immune. If *your* child isn’t vaccinated and catches a disease, unfortunately a child who *was* vaccinated but relies on herd protection is now vulnerable to disease from your unvaccinated child.
1. Babies who have not reached the age of vaccination are vulnerable.
2. People with compromised immune systems are vulnerable.
3. Pregnant women are vulnerable.
Right on its sad that many people are def to your words.
How can you claim to be Chabad when the the Rebbe was pro-vaccine on multiple occasions? The Rebbe was aware of vaccine risk yet still strongly advised to vaccinate. Are you better informed than the Rebbe on this topic?
I do give vaccines to my kids. However I’d like to point out that after doing proper research I discovered that it’s not that simple as what we are being told by our local professionals. There is much more info that everyone should know before making any statement anti or pro vaccines. Iam not saying my opinion.. it’s stupid to say a opioid on your own. But do your self a favor and do the proper research. You will be surprised to discover a ton of info that was never revealed to you before…. Don’t be dumb and believe the… Read more »
For those who want to find true statistics from real life people. Go to vaers.hhs.gov see for yourself how many families and peoples lives have been destroyed by vaccines. And then try to tell everyone that vaccines are safe. Let vaccine companies have responsibility like any other manufacturer that supply products to the public. Let them have the same consequences for giving a life endangering product to the public. At this point “They cant be sued”.No one can enforce them to do the studies needed to ensure vaccines are safe. People will always choose to do what is safe for… Read more »
Should we be taking advice from smart people like you who “know” better then scientists who were in school for years and years and dedicate their lives to this? You know best because you’ve read a couple articles or books? Meanwhile you don’t even know the correct usage of the word their vs there… Shows how smart these antivaxxers must be. Saying herd immunity is a hoax is literally one of the silliest ideas I have heard regarding vaccinations. I won’t say there are zero risks with vaccines, there’s a whole pamphlet that comes with them with all the side… Read more »
Should we be taking advice from smart people like you”” No you do your home work and I will do mine” If you dont see money being the major motivator in all this… I have nothing more to say to you You truly believe the companies producing all the shots care? They go to school for years and years and dedicate their lives to making money.
It is your advice to do your homework and research yourself. Maybe this is one thing where we can trust doctors and the Rebbe because we can’t possibly be able to do “our own research” properly based off of Google and websites that have articles written by people with no proof who are blinded by what they believe. Would you want me to Google and research and watch YouTube videos about hope to do bypass surgery on a heart and then you would trust me to be able to do it because now I know everything about it because I… Read more »
VAERS is not a scientific study. Any person can report anything there.
I don’t understand how Lubavitchers can be antivaxers. The Rebbe was vehemently pro vaccination on multiple occasions.
The rebbe was pro vaccine’s.. well, How many years ago was that??? Studies “do” change. Once upon a Time they said smoking is healthy.so now what?? Go smoke.. Don’t act stupid..
By the way someone writing here before as follows ” I did research. And I know everything” well, if this is what you are saying then you probably know “NOTHING”
I will bez’h continue giving vaccines for my kids because there is simply no clear path about this. However as someone writes before ” every coin has two sides” if can not admit to this then you ate foolish…
just because you were on the internet for four hours reading garbage it does not make you a doctor
if der rebbe zugt az mir zull vaccination mir vaccination
Is that failing to vaccinate your children is creating a chilul Hashem, every report in the secular news says the outbreaks are mainly in Orthodox Jewish areas. In the Middle Ages Jews were blamed for the Plague. Do you really want to now ACTUALLY sicken and/or kill innocent people because of some conspiracy theory website you read?
people say they are anti vax but if c’v something were to happen to THEM such as a heart attack, they are going to those same ‘know nothing doctors’ and ‘evil’ big pharma right away to get out of their problem.