Ky. Student Claims Chicken Pox Vaccination Is Against His Religion Because Shot Contains ‘Aborted Fetal Cells’
Amid an outbreak of chicken pox in Kentucky, Jerome Kunkel, an 18-year-old senior, was barred from playing basketball for his high school because he wasn't vaccinated. He's now suing, saying his First Amendment rights have been violated because he wasn't vaccinated for religious reasons.
The New York Times:
Unvaccinated Student In Kentucky Sues After Being Barred From Playing Basketball
A student at a Catholic school in Kentucky has sued the Northern Kentucky Health Department, claiming it violated his First Amendment rights by barring him from playing basketball because he refused to be vaccinated against chickenpox. The lawsuit, filed last week in Boone County Circuit Court on behalf of the student, Jerome Kunkel, an 18-year-old senior, argues that the action violates his right to freedom of religion. Being vaccinated, it contends, would go against Mr. Kunkel’s religious beliefs as a practicing Catholic, because the vaccine contains “aborted fetal cells.” (de Leon, 3/18)
In other vaccination news —
The Washington Post:
Amazon Pulls Books Promoting False Claims About Autism And Vaccines
YouTube said it was banning anti-vaccination channels from running online advertisements. Facebook announced it was hiding certain content and turning away ads that contain misinformation about vaccines, and Pinterest said it was blocking “polluted” search terms, memes and pins from particular sites prompting anti-vaccine propaganda, according to news reports. Amazon has now joined other companies navigating the line between doing business and censoring it, in an age when, experts say, misleading claims about health and science have a real impact on public health. (Bever, 3/18)
Dallas Morning News:
Second Measles Case Confirmed In Collin County After The Contagious Person Visited Kroger In Prosper
A second measles case has been reported in Collin County, where the contagious person visited a grocery store, health officials said Monday. The contagious person spent a "limited amount of time" between 9 and 10 a.m. Friday at a Kroger on North Preston Road in Prosper, Collin County Health Care Services said. The person did not report going to any other public locations, and the health department said it is working to contact people at private locations. (Cardona, 3/18)
The CT Mirror:
CT Doctors, Insurers Concerned About Dropping Vaccination Rate
Connecticut children are still vaccinated at a higher rate than the national average, but the number has dropped in recent years — with most of the state’s unvaccinated children avoiding immunizations by claiming a religious exemption. The drop off in immunizations follows a national trend that concerns doctors, health insurers and school administrators and is prompting states like Connecticut to weigh taking action. (Radelat, 3/18)
