Judge blocks New York county's ban on unvaccinated children

Mackenzie Bean (Twitter) -

A New York judge put a hold on Rockland County's decision to ban unvaccinated children from enclosed public areas, including schools, reports CNN.

Rockland County officials introduced the ban last month as part of a 30-day emergency declaration over an ongoing measles outbreak. Within four days of the ban's implementation, more than 500 people received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Rockland County Executive Ed Day told CNBC.

Judge Rolf Thorsen temporarily blocked the county from enforcing the ban in response to several lawsuits filed by parents of Rockland County children.

"The county is disappointed that the court did not see this measles outbreak, unprecedented in scope over the past 30 years, as a crisis sufficient to warrant the need for a declaration of a state of emergency," Rockland County attorney Thomas E. Humbach said of the judge's decision, according to CNN.

The judge set a hearing for the lawsuits April 19. Mr. Humbach said the county is still weighing its next steps.

As of April 5, Rockland County confirmed 167 measles infections linked to the outbreak, which started in October 2018.

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