By Glenn Kaplan
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Rabbis and other members of the Baltimore Jewish community have been trying to reach out to residents about the importance of getting vaccinated after the recent outbreak of measles in various parts of the country.
They have sent messages to congregants and placed signs on doors of local synagogues stating that people who are not vaccinated should not enter the building.
“We encouraged people to make sure they were up to date on vaccinations,” said Rabbi Yisrael Motzen, head rabbi of Ner Tamid Synagogue in Baltimore. “We also reminded people of our policy that those who are not up to date cannot enter the premises.”
The issue is of particular importance in the Jewish community as measles has affected Orthodox Jews in communities in New York, New Jersey and Michigan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared measles eliminated from the United States in 2000 thanks to what it called a “highly effective vaccination program in the United States, as well as better measles control in the Americas region.” But it began to return between 2013-2015, and in recent months U.S. cases have been linked to travelers coming back from Israel and other countries with outbreaks. The measles virus spreads through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs and someone nearby inhales the infected droplets.
As of May 10, 2019, 839 cases of the measles had confirmed in 23 states — the greatest number of cases reported in the country since 1994, according to the CDC.
Maryland is among the 23 states with reported cases. According to the Maryland Department of Public Health, five cases have been reported in the Baltimore area, with the most recent case coming on May 10. All cases have been in Northwest Baltimore.
In the Jewish community and elsewhere, misinformation has spread about the connection between vaccines and autism (a claim that has no scientific evidence behind it). Yet some parents still choose not to vaccinate their children, with some citing religious beliefs but most citing concerns about potential harms of vaccines.
Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told Kasier Health News, “People don’t want to get vaccines because they think they don’t need them.”
Dr. Matthias Goldstein, director of student health services at Towson University, said the thinks the Baltimore Jewish community has not ignored orders to get vaccinated like some others across the country.
“Our community issue is that people needed to be aware that they need to get the vaccine,” he said.
The CDC recommends that people get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to prevent against the disease. It recommends the following:
Children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Teens and adults should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination. Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). This vaccine is only licensed for use in children who are 12 months through 12 years of age.
Rabbi Zvi Teichman, the head rabbi of Ohel Moshe in Baltimore, said the region did a tremendous job of getting the message across about people getting vaccinated.
“They tackled the issue with diligence and dignity,” Teichman said. “Additionally, they educated the public with accurate information and guidance.”
Even with people being educated, some will refuse to get the vaccine because of bad information.
“Unfortunately, there has been a lot of misinformation about vaccines causing autism,” Goldstein said.
There are certain circumstances in which it is not recommended that people get vaccines — among them people who are pregnant or in chemotherapy.
Because some people can’t get vaccinated, Teichman recommends that the people who are required to receive the vaccine get it.
“They should counsel with their health care professionals to get immunized not only to protect themselves, but so that they can contain the spread of the disease so that those among us who are immune-suppressed will not be exposed to this dangerous disease,” he said.
People who go to airports or crowded venues or spend times in close quarters are at a heightened risk of measles. In the New York Orthodox community, measles spread in part because people lived in close proximity to each other.
“We are a people very inter-connected with many communities throughout the states and world-wide thus multiplying the exposure to the disease,” Teichman said.
People who aren’t vaccinated are a public health threat, even if most people have protected themselves again measles.
“In general, they don’t cause harm to the world because the majority of the world is vaccinated,” Goldstein said. “Some jurisdictions in New York started making a fine of $1,000. They closed schools that allowed kids who were not vaccinated into the schools and sometimes you have to take a hard line.”
Added Motzen: “We live in the misinformation age. People are trying to protect the families, but it is tragically, just endangering them and others.”